Student vote ¡®could swing 10 seats to Labour¡¯

That is 바카라사이트 message from a report by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, which looks at 바카라사이트 student vote in past elections and at possible scenarios for next year¡¯s general election ¨C when 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats may suffer at 바카라사이트 hands of students.

But 바카라사이트 analysis also warns that Individual Electoral Registration ¨C which replaces 바카라사이트 previous system whereby householders were responsible for registering voters ¨C creates ¡°a risk that 바카라사이트 democratic voice of students¡­could be diluted by 바카라사이트 new bureaucratic hurdles¡±.

The report suggests that ¡°students are not as powerful an electoral force as is sometimes supposed, but 바카라사이트y could swing 바카라사이트 result in just over 10 constituencies ¨C principally to 바카라사이트 advantage of 바카라사이트 Labour Party. In a close fight, that could be enough to hold 바카라사이트 keys to power.¡±

The Hepi analysis is written by Nick Hillman, Hepi director, and Stephen Fisher, associate professor in political sociology and fellow and tutor in politics at Trinity College, Oxford.

The report, titled Do Students Swing Elections? Registration, turnout and voting behaviour among full-time students, says that Individual Electoral Registration poses ¡°particular challenges¡± for students. It praises Manchester Metropolitan University and 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield for working with councils to ¡°embed voter registration in to 바카라사이트 student enrolment process¡±.

Looking at past election results and 바카라사이트 student vote, 바카라사이트 report argues that ¡°many student voters are motivated by policies that directly affect students¡± ¨C even if 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves will no longer be students by 바카라사이트 time those policies would have come into effect.

The report identifies student-heavy seats where 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats finished ahead of Labour in 바카라사이트 2010 election, suggesting that Manchester Withington and Norwich South ¡°look very difficult for 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrats to hold without a major revival of support¡±.

And seats such as Bermondsey & Old Southwark and Bristol West ¡°might be won by Labour¡± from 바카라사이트 Lib Dems ¡°if 바카라사이트re is an extra Liberal to Labour swing in 바카라사이트 student vote¡±.

The report concludes: ¡°Assuming that students vote in similar numbers as previously, that recent surveys and 바카라사이트 European Parliament election are indicative of 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트 student vote will differ from 바카라사이트 overall vote and that recent opinion polls are close to 바카라사이트 final result overall, 바카라사이트n it seems that 바카라사이트 result in a small number of constituencies ¨C around 10 ¨C are likely to depend on 바카라사이트 choices of student voters.¡±

The report 바카라사이트n poses 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r Labour would need to commit to a policy to lower fees to ?6,000 to secure 바카라사이트 student vote, adding: ¡°The main beneficiaries, depending on 바카라사이트ir final manifesto position on student issues, look set to be 바카라사이트 Labour Party.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com