Effect of class on voting

Traditional Class Voting:

During the 1960s and early 1970s, voting in the UK followed a strong class-based pattern.
Most working-class voters (i.e., lower income, manual labour) historically supported the Labour Party.
In contrast, the middle and upper classes (i.e., higher income, non-manual or professional jobs) generally backed the Conservative Party.

Change in Class Voting:

Since the 1970s, the influence of social class on voting behaviour has been declining, a trend referred to as class dealignment.
This has been due to several factors including changes in party policies, economic inequalities, cross-cutting issues etc.

New Class Structures and Voting:

The emergence of new political issues and socioeconomic changes have shifted the political landscape.
The expansion of higher education and a shift from manufacturing jobs to service sector jobs have led to the rise of a better educated and socially liberal middle class, more likely to vote Labour or Liberal Democrat.

Influence of Class Still Present:

Despite the dealignment, evidence suggests that class still has some influence on voting behaviour.
The poorest voters are still more likely to vote Labour than Conservative, while the extremely wealthy still tend to favour Conservative policies.

Working-Class drift to Conservative:

The 2019 General Election saw a significant number of traditional Labour, working-class voters in the North and Midlands switching their allegiances to the Conservatives. This was due to factors such as Brexit, and dissatisfaction with the Labour leadership.

Remember, while class-based voting is not as predictable as it once was, it still plays a role in the UK’s political landscape, and its interaction with other factors like age, region, and education can have an influential impact on election outcomes.

Effect of class on voting

Impact of Social Class on Voting Behaviour in the UK