This seminar looks at the results from the UK General Election on 7th May. We see how the Conservatives were able to build a majority from seats won from the Liberal Democrats, and how the Labour party were unable to compensate elsewhere for seats they lost in Scotland. There is continuity and change in the social bases of voting: although some traditional allegiances remain, there is almost a complete reversal of long standing associations between class, education and housing tenure with vote shares in Scotland. More plainly, the Scottish National Party did well in all areas, but especially so in those that are demographically similar to Labour constituencies in England and Wales. The Labour party benefitted from ethnically diverse constituencies, but with exceptions and to a lesser extent than in previous elections. Further questions addressed include whether the Green party contributed to Labour’s defeat and whether UKIP damaged the Conservatives or Labour more, whether changes in electoral registration were to the benefit of any one party, and to what extent ethnic minority and female candidates were at an electoral disadvantage.
Presented by:
Nicole Martin (ISER)
Date & time:
June 1, 2015 2:00 pm - June 1, 2015 3:30 pm
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