Voting Behavior and the Media

Question 1

Factors that can influence somebody’s vote

Answer 1

age, gender, social class, region, ethnicity, education

Question 2

Different types of social class

Answer 2

AB​:22.17%
Higher and intermediate managerial, administrative, professional jobs.​
Banker, Doctor, Company director, Senior executive​

C1​:30.84%
Supervisory, clerical and junior managerial, administrative, professional jobs.​
Teacher, Office manager, IT manager, Social worker​

C2​:20.94%​
Skilled manual jobs.​
Plumber, Hairdresser, Mechanic, Train driver​

DE​:26.05%
Semi-skilled and unskilled manual jobs. Unemployed and lowest payed jobs.​
Labourer, Bar staff, Call centre staff, Unemployed​

Question 3

What was the traditional voting behaviour of people ?

Answer 3

Up until the 1970s voting behaviour was strongly influenced by social class and status.
Working class people voted for the Labour party
Middle and upper class voted for the Conservatives

Question 4

Class dealignment

Answer 4

Since the 1970s the process known as class dealignment has occurred, where class started to lose its importance as a determinant of voting behaviour.

Parties such as LIb Dems have tended to adopt more centrist policies that suit to a wider class base. For example in 2017 Jeremy Corbyn managed to gain significant support from the AB social class. His free tuition policies reflected on many voters from this class as most of them have graduated university or further education.

Question 5

Age

Answer 5

Today age is a very key determinant factor of voting choice in Uk elections.
In 2017 YouGov called it the ,,new dividing line in British politics’’
Older voters are much more likely to vote CON, which is partly related to home ownership.
Younger voters are more likely to vote Labour. In 2019 only 22% of young voters voted conservatives, whilst 60% of over 60 years old did.

Question 6

Education

Answer 6

In recent elections, education has also shown itself to be a key dividing line. Those with uni education are more likely to vote for Labour and Lib Dems and those with fewer qualifications for Conservatives.
For example in the 2019 general election 43% of those with a degree voted for Labour