Suchergebnisse

Since the General Election of May 1955 there have been 21 by-elections. These elections have been marked by a fall in turnout from 77% in 1955 to an IZ of 64% in the by-elections. Inasmuch as the new abstentionists come principally from the ranks of former conservative voters, the net result has been a substantial increase in the % obtained by the Labor Party, even though only one seat has changed hands. The manner in which this evolution has been commented on by the national press (consisting of 8 London papers plus the Manchester Guardian) tells us more about the British press than about electoral psychol. The explanation most commonly offered is that the new abstentionists are Me Tories repelled by the econ & fiscal policies of the gov, which they consider too similar to those of Labor. In reality, PO surveys show that the Tory abstentionists are largely We voters who feel that the gov favors the rich rather than the poor. These We Tories are for the most part old people who really need the benefits of the Welfare State. Conversely, the skilled manual workers who have hitherto provided the backbone of Labor support are more & more acquiring Me tastes & aspirations. In short, a change is taking place in the soc composition of the followings of the 2 parties, which the press has completely failed to note. Perhaps in a world of changing pol'al loyalties, no one but the pollster is in a position to discover the truth about the meaning of voting behavior. AA.