Voting Behavior Flashcards
age and turnout 2019 election
18–24: 47% turnout
65+: 74% turnout
Older = more Conservative, Younger = more Labour/Green
The Sun 1992 media influence
The Sun 1992: “It’s The Sun Wot Won It”
Backed Major → seen as influencing Labour defeat
Shows impact of tabloid press
2019 General Election – Brexit & Realignment
“Red Wall” collapsed – working-class Labour heartlands voted Conservative
Conservatives won 48-seat majority with just 43.6% of vote
Labour’s Brexit position hurt it in Leave areas
Biggest realignment in decades – regional, class, and identity-based
2017 General Election – Return of class?
Corbyn gained support from young people (18–24: 67% voted Labour)
Education divide: graduates leaned Labour, non-grads leaned Conservative
Turnout rose to 69% → sign of renewed engagement
1997 General Election – New Labour landslide
Tony Blair rebranded Labour → appeal to middle class (“Third Way”)
Won 43% of the vote and 418 seats
Youth turnout increased, huge gains in South and Midlands
Shows class and regional realignment
1979 General Election – Thatcher’s Win
Marked class dealignment and rise of issue-based voting
Labour unpopular due to strikes (“Winter of Discontent”)
C2 voters swung to Conservatives (so-called “Essex man”)
Start of valence voting based on economic competence
Labour’s historic ethnic minority support
2017: Labour won 65% of BAME vote
Long-term trend: ethnic minorities more likely to vote Labour due to inclusive policies, anti-discrimination stance
However: Conservatives increasing share (e.g., among British Indians in 2019)
Brexit Referendum (2016) – as a behavioural example
Leave: 52% — mainly older, working-class, non-graduates, outside London
Remain: 48% — younger, urban, graduates
Exposed major cleavages in voting behaviour → age, class, education, and region
Highest ever UK turnout
1950 election: 83.9%
Record low election turnout
59.4% political apathy, similar party platforms)
2010 General Election – Rise of the Liberal Democrats
Cleggmania: Nick Clegg performed well in TV debates
Lib Dems surged in polls but ended up with only 57 seats
Resulted in hung parliament → coalition with Conservatives
Showed volatility, media influence, and limits of third parties under FPTP
Issue Voting
2005 General Election – Iraq War backlash
Labour won, but with a massively reduced majority
Many voters, especially students and left-leaning middle class, punished Labour
Rise in smaller parties like Lib Dems, who opposed the war
Tactical Voting
1997 General Election
Labour and Lib Dem voters tactically voted to defeat Tories
Helped Labour achieve landslide and Lib Dems increase seats to 46
Tactical voting shown in Tory-Lib marginal seats
2019 Anti-Brexit tactical voting
“Unite to Remain” pact: Lib Dems, Greens, and Plaid Cymru stepped aside for each other
Didn’t have huge impact under FPTP, but showed growing strategic behaviour
Media Framing & Influence
The Sun switches support (1997)
Backed Blair/Labour after years supporting the Conservatives
Symbolised Labour’s move to the centre and media-savviness
Protest Voting
🗳️ Rise of UKIP (2015)
Won nearly 4 million votes (12.6%) but only 1 seat under FPTP
Drew voters from both Tories (immigration) and Labour (working-class Brexit voters)
Set the stage for Brexit referendum
2023–24 local elections protest voting
Conservative vote share collapses due to cost-of-living crisis, Partygate
Labour, Lib Dems, Greens benefit → protest against government performance
