Issue voting

Public opinion is also influenced by what the parties publish in their manifestos - declarations of what they intend to do if they win the election. It is unlikely that a party which says that it will increase taxes will gain many voters, even if the money is to improve education. The economy, health, education and crime always feature highly on the minds of voters at election time. How a party addresses these and other important issues can either gain or lose them votes.

MEDIA

Newspapers, magazines, television and radio also influence voting behaviour. The media is the means whereby voters form opinions on the ability of political leaders and whether the Government is doing a good job or not. While few will admit it, people are influenced incidentally by the editorial stance of a newspaper they read. People tend to buy the same newspaper regularly, often for reasons other than its political stance. But they will be influenced by its editorial opinions. Outside election times, most readers will not realise that the Daily Record favours the Labour Party and that the Daily Mail favours the Conservative Party.

It is assumed that radio and television coverage of political issues is impartial. But, despite the most professional reporting, sometimes the natural inclinations of individuals can seem to come out during an interview. All party leaders have at some time complained about the BBC, which suggests that it is impartial in its coverage. Many people believe that TV is more important than newspapers as fewer people buy newspapers now. However, politics can easily be avoided on TV by simply changing the channel.

There is also seen to be a danger that the ownership of the media is being concentrated in too few hands. News International, owned by Rupert Murdoch, controls a large number of news and media organisations. There are concerns that, as a result, he is able as an individual to shape public opinion and influence voting behaviour. In the run up to the 2010 UK General Election, the Sun newspaper ran the headline ‘Labour’s Lost it’, letting readers know it has switched its support from the Labour Party to the Conservative Party. The Sun has the largest circulation figures in the UK and famously supported the Labour Party in 1997.

The Internet now plays an important role in influencing voters. Like newspapers, websites are allowed to show bias. Politicians and political parties are keen to use websites, blogs, wikis, podcasts or having listings on social networking websites like facebook and twitter as a way of reaching voters, especially young voters. Young voters are less likely to vote. Voter apathy is a major obstacle for all political parties and politicians alike, with only 61% of voters turning out to vote in the 2005 General Election.

Target language

These are the phrases you should implement while participating in a class discussion or other activities.

1. to be dominated by a single party

2. to lead to coalitions running many Scottish councils

3. to use multi-member constituencies of 3 or 4 councilors per ward

4. to reallocate candidates’ votes to the voters’ second choices

5. to form coalitions or partnership agreements

6. party loyalty closely corresponded to social class

7. to see a decline in the number of people voting according to their natural class

8. to move away from voting according to class

9. to become better educated through more access to the media

10. to tends to favour a party

11. a link between ethnicity and voting behavior

12. to seem more sympathetic towards ethnic minorities

13. to feature highly on the minds of voters at election time

14. to address the important issues

15. to shape public opinion and influence voting behavior

16. to switch the support from one party to another