Academic Simon Usherwood tells i the Conservatives would have done ‘less badly’ if there had been a greater voter turnout
Caption: INGLEBY CROSS – JULY 04: A woman enters a polling station to cast her vote in the general election on July 04, 2024 in Ingleby Cross, United Kingdom. Voters in 650 constituencies across the UK are today electing members of Parliament to the House of Commons via the first-past-the-post system. The election was announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the surprise of the nation on May 22, 2024.
“This has not been an election characterised by high enthusiasm. It’s not like 1997 when there was a project withhas been a lot more cautious and modest about what he is offering. I think that is reflected in the fact that while they have picked up some votes, actually, they have benefited much more from Tory voters staying at home.”in 2017, Prof Usherwood believes the Conservative party may have to learn the same lesson when it comes to the next general election.
Systemically, low voter turnout is a growing and long term problem and is a sign that people feel that politics doesn’t speak to them, their needs or priorities, Prof Usherwood added. “This is a general problem we have, not just in the UK but across the democratic world. People are more used to this ‘Amazon’ model of life where they can just click on a website and get the things they want delivered to their door.
“The low turnout is a reflection of the difficulties that all parties face in getting people to go out and be bothered enough to vote. “It makes it easier for smaller parties to gain representation, often because they have got small, dedicated bands of followers who are prepared to put in the effort to go and vote.
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