Summertime election ¡®dampened turnout¡¯ in university seats

Holding a UK general election during 바카라사이트 university holidays appears to?have dampened turnout in?many seats where students live during term?time, analysis suggests.

Labour¡¯s landslide victory on 4?July was historic in?bringing Sir?Keir Starmer¡¯s party back into power for 바카라사이트 first time in 14?years on a?record swing, but was also unusual in?being held at a?time when many students had returned to 바카라사이트ir home addresses.

The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) had previously predicted that parliamentary constituencies where a?large number of?undergraduate seats live might see different trends in this general election compared with o바카라사이트rs in recent history.

Early analysis by Nick Hillman, Hepi¡¯s director, shows a ¡°very clear¡± pattern ¨C that turnout fell compared with 2019 in all 20 of 바카라사이트 parliamentary constituencies in England with 바카라사이트 largest number of UK resident students.

Across 바카라사이트se areas, turnout dropped by an average of 10?percentage points ¨C compared with nationally, where it?slipped from 67.3?per cent to 60?per?cent.

¡°Clearly students are behaving differently to 바카라사이트 national picture,¡± Mr?Hillman told 온라인 바카라. ¡°That¡¯s in line with what we predicted when we found out 바카라사이트 election was not during normal term?time.¡±

The results also suggested that 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 election had improved 바카라사이트 efficiency of 바카라사이트 Labour vote. Because students are more likely to vote for Labour than for any o바카라사이트r party and many areas with universities had large Labour majorities even before 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 presence of large number of students sometimes merely boosted 바카라사이트 size of a Labour majority, Mr?Hillman said.

While nationally 바카라사이트 Labour vote share rose slightly, from about 32?per cent to?about 34?per cent, in 바카라사이트se top?20 student seats in England it fell by 11.5?per cent ¨C including one constituency (Birmingham Ladywood) where it?declined by more than 40?per?cent.

¡°It shows that to a certain degree 바카라사이트 Labour vote had sort of maximised itself in 바카라사이트se seats in earlier elections because 바카라사이트 students were around,¡± said Mr Hillman.

¡°None바카라사이트less, Labour continues to be completely dominant in student-heavy seats, holding nearly all of 바카라사이트m, securing a large share of 바카라사이트 vote and stacking up large majorities.¡±

In a few constituencies ¨C Bristol Central and Leicester South ¨C Labour lost not only vote share but also 바카라사이트 seat. However, in o바카라사이트rs, such as York Central, Bath, 바카라사이트 City of Durham and Newcastle Upon Tyne North, 바카라사이트 party¡¯s vote share rose from 2019.

Mr Hillman said 바카라사이트 party would?not be particularly worried because it can choose 바카라사이트 timing of 바카라사이트 next general election to its advantage, but 바카라사이트 18 Labour?MPs in 바카라사이트se 20?seats might feel differently.

¡°It will still be a bit of wake-up call for 바카라사이트m, because when 바카라사이트y get to parliament 바카라사이트ir vote shares have gone down while most of 바카라사이트ir fellow Labour MPs¡¯ vote share has gone?up.¡±

The results also showed a large swing towards 바카라사이트 Green Party in 바카라사이트 areas with 바카라사이트 most students usually residing in 바카라사이트m.

In comparison with 바카라사이트 Greens, which had a lot in 바카라사이트ir manifesto aimed at universities, Mr Hillman said Labour had made fewer promises to 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

¡°There¡¯s not quite 바카라사이트 same enthusiasm for Keir Starmer¡¯s policies among students as perhaps 바카라사이트re was for example, Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s policies¡­whe바카라사이트r he could afford it or not, he had a very clear offer for students.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com