Voting behaviour and the Media

Question 1

What happened in the 1983 general election

Answer 1

It was Foot Vs Thatcher.

It was an electoral low point for labour but a landscale victory for conservatives.

Question 2

What led to Thatcher’s 1983 victory

Answer 2

• The Falkland war 1982
• Redrawing constituency boundaries increasing seats to 650. This meant the conservative won 23 heartlands.
• According to opinion polls battle buses where most influential
• Labour’s poor manifesto and untelegentic leader.

Question 3

Significance of the 1997 general election

Answer 3

Blair Vs Major
Blair won with his new labour approach.
“The sun backs blair”

Question 4

What led to Blair’s win

Answer 4

• New labour’s removal of clause IV
• Middle England appeal
• Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime
• Spin doctors e.g. Alistar campbell

Question 5

What lead to Major’s lose

Answer 5

• Black wednesday
• Cash 4 questions
• Sleaze - following financial and sexual scandal

Question 6

Factors influencing voting behaviour (class)

Answer 6

The working class - Labour
The middle class - Conservative

1997 New labour attracted m/c voters.
Rational choice - where people vote in a way that’s beneficial way.
Class and partisanship dealignment.

Question 7

Factors influencing voting behaviour (gender)

Answer 7

Historically women preferenced the conservative party. But in the Blair era they favoured labour’s family friendly policies.

Question 8

Factors influencing voting behaviour (age)

Answer 8

” If a man isnt a socialist by the time he is 20 he has no heart. If he not a conservative by the time he is 40, he has no brain” - Churchill.

^^ This suggests young voters are emotional and older voters are rational.

Question 9

Factors influencing voting behaviour (Region)

Answer 9

South: Conservative dominated
North: Labour dominated

Question 10

What are swing voters

Answer 10

Those who have no strong party affliction (votes can change)

Question 11

Describe partisanship dealignment

Answer 11

Individuals who don’t identify to being associated with a political party.

Question 12

What is class dealignment

Answer 12

Not identifying to belonging to class.

Question 13

What was significant of the 1992 election

Answer 13

” It was the sun wot won it”

Question 14

Significance of the 2015 election

Answer 14

• The con won by a 12 seat majority because of austerity (high rates of children in poverty) and polls underestimating swing voters voting for labour.
• TV showed to be the most influential
• Circulation of print papers have declined.