BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION 2017: IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

Authors : Eunice GOES

Pages : 9-29

View : 24 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 2018-08-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The results of the 2017 general election were a shock to most observers of British politics. The Conservative Party led by Theresa May lost its majority in the House of Commons winning only 42.4% of the vote. Labour, on the other hand, had much better results than expected results attracting 40% of the votes. This article seeks to explain what is behind these surprising results. Drawing on the theoretical literature on economic voting, this article argues that the impact of austerity influenced the choices of a sizable section of the electorate. But voters are heterogeneous, that is, they are motivated by a variety of factors. In the case of the 2017 general election, Brexit was one of the factors that shaped the preferences of some voters.
Keywords : Brexit, hung parliament, austerity, economic voting, Conservative Party