Party Image

Mark, Jemma, Emma and Andrew.

Voting Behaviour

The images of the main party leaders are important in influencing voters.

Trust in the party leader and their perceived ability to become prime minister influences voter behaviour .

Also If people loose confidence in the party leader the party will loose votes and vote for the opposing party.

Summary

In 2005 Tony Blair was perceived as being the most capable leader, with the best understanding of world problems and the best able to handle a crisis.

In contrast Charles Kennedy(leader of Lib Dems as the time) was rated highest for honesty and trustworthiness. It would seem that an image of strong leadership matters most and despite doubts over is honesty and a view that he was out of touch, Tony Blair was rated the best option for prime minister

Image and Personality

What happened in the 2010 election?

It was the first time in UK politics that there was a TV debate!

2010 T.V Debate

• Election 2010: Three way clashes in historic TV debate• Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Gordon Brown clash on live TV over MPs'

expenses• Gordon Brown and David Cameron have clashed over spending cuts, tax

and political reform in the UK's first prime ministerial TV debate.The Labour leader went on the attack against Mr Cameron during the historic 90-minute encounter, accusing him of "airbrushing" planned spending cuts.The Tory leader accused Mr Brown of trying to "frighten" voters.Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said neither of them were being "straight" about the scale of cuts needed.BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said the biggest impact of the contest will be the insertion of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats into the nation's consciousness but nothing the other leaders said had fundamentally altered the general election debate.

In 2005, a survey was taken out on the public. They were asked ‘Which party has the best policy on this issue?’

ISSUES THAT ARE FAVROUABLE TO LABOUR ARE:

HEALTH CARE

EDUCATION

ENVIROMENT

TRANSPORT AND UNEMPLOYMENT .

PREFERED PARTY ON SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

ISSUES THAT ARE FAVROUABLE TO CONSERVATIVE

LAW AND ORDER

PENSIONS

TAXATION

DEFENCE

IMMIGRATION

The Conservatives, who remained firmly behind Labour in surveys of voting intention as the 2005 campaign unfolded, attempted to take advantage of Blair’s weakening image. Also the image that labour creates of helping the lower social classes s helps create a good image and encourages lower classes to vote labour on the other hand the conservatives help the upper class become richer and encourages the upper class to vote conservative due to the getting richer image

If a party loses an election, it loses people backing it too.

The image of a party is then damaged, although it is just the leader who is to blame.

Confidence In The Party Leader

Research shows Sheffield voters hate

the Deputy PM for failing to stand up

for the city, breaking election

promises and acting as the PM’s

puppet.