Voting apathy Flashcards
Give two examples of unfair representation on a national scale
Between 1979 and 1997, Scotland had always voted against the winning party.
The entirety of Scotland can be outvoted by the city of London (London has more MP’s than Scotland)
Why can FPTP create voter apathy?
- People feel unrepresented as there is minority rule (2015 GE Tory’s won 36.9% of the vote).
- Two party system leaves many ‘niche’ political views unaccounted for as these votes would be wasted.
- Half of constituencies are ‘Safe seats’.
- Negative voting
- Only rewards when support is concentrated (UKIP)
What are the main factors of voter behaviour and split these into short-term and long-term factors
Short term:
Media influence, image/personalities of leaders
Long term:
Social class, Gender, Age, Ethnic background, Regional factors, Party affiliation
What is meant by volatility and give examples
When long factors weaken and there are more swing voters and issue based voting (creates unpredictability)
- Social class structure has changed since 70’s with more mid-class. Estimated that the electorate voting for natural class party fell from 64% in ‘66 to 41% in ‘05
- Tom Southern was once a committed socialist (Lab) but has stood as Lib dem councillor and an activist for local lib MP since Iraq 2003
Give 4 facts for Social class
- 1967 Peter Pulzer, a distinguished political scientist, wrote “class is the basis of British politics. All else is embellishment and detail”
- Between 1992 and 2015, AB voters have consistently voted Tory. Although it has declined in the past 23 years from 56% to 45% they still the greatest donor to Tory’s
- The electorate voting for natural class party fell from 64% in ‘66 to 41% in ‘05
- 56% of Catholics vote left compared with Anglicans being 2x more likely to vote right-wing (most Catholics were Irish working-class)
Evaluative/conclusive statement regarding Social class?
Social class is still important but to a lesser extent. Although de-alignment has increased and it has become more difficult for certain parties to win. Many still vote as social class would expect and, as such, we still have a two-party system with close wins between parties.
Give 4 facts on Age
- “If you are not socialist by the time you are 25, you have no heart. If you are not conservative by the time you are 35, you have no head” - George Bernhard Shaw
- 43% of 18-24yr-olds voted Labour with over 40% of 55+ voting Tory (‘15)
- Young people least likely to vote with 43% turnout compared with 78% of 65+
- In past 42yrs avg MP age hasn’t dropped below 49yrs with a ‘young members club’ incorporating all MP’s under 45yrs
4 facts for BAME
- 52% of white voters likely to vote compared with 33% of EM’s
- ‘87 had 4 EM MP’s (0.6%) with ‘15 having 42 (6.6%)
- A third of those EM’s who voted in the last GE voted Tory which bucks trend
- 64% of Asians voted yes in indiref. Yet they only make up 2% of Scottish pop
4 facts gender
- ‘87 41 Women MP’s, 2015 191 (6% to 29%)
- ‘92 GE 78.2% of women voted to 77.2% men. In 2010 64% women with 67% men
- Of course Sweden has higher rep of women (45%) ‘cos its so amazing
- In the space of a decade, Janet Daly went from left to right
4 facts for Media
- People misinterpret the world to support views - Humphry the 10 Downing street cat dwelled there between Thatcher’s and Blair’s reigns. No one had particular interest in him until labelled Thatcher’s cat (13% positive from T’s and 10% negative from L’s) but when called Blair’s cat 16% T hating and 10 L lovin’.
- Optimistic campaigns are more effective than negative as turnout in indiref was 85%
- 67% of Mirror readers vote Lab while 69% of Telegraph readership vote Tory
- 62% of public thought TV was most influencial media source
