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British Election Panel Study, 1992-1997

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Title details

SN: 3888
Title: British Election Panel Study, 1992-1997
Alternative title: BEPS1
Persistent identifier: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-3888-1
Series: British Election Studies, 1969-
Depositor(s): Social and Community Planning Research
Principal investigator(s): Heath, A., University of Oxford. Nuffield College
Jowell, R., Social and Community Planning Research
Curtice, J.K., University of Strathclyde
Data collector(s): Social and Community Planning Research
Sponsor(s): Economic and Social Research Council
Grant number: M543285001
Other acknowledgements: A. Park, K. Thomson and L. Brook Bridget Taylor, CREST (Centre for Research into Elections and Social Trends) Research Officer at Nuffield College, Oxford.

Subject Categories

British Election Studies - Major studies
Election and campaign studies - Politics

Abstract

The British Election Study (BES/BGES) series constitutes the longest academic series of nationally representative probability sample surveys in the country. Its broad aim is to explore the changing determinants of electoral behaviour in contemporary Britain. The surveys have taken place immediately after every general election since 1964. Besides the main election surveys, other datasets have also been produced. For example, some studies have included separate sub-samples for ethnic minorities and areas such as Scotland and Northern Ireland (held at the UK Data Archive (UKDA) under SNs 681, 3171, 3889, 3891, and 4622), and several inter-election panel studies have been undertaken between 1969 and 2001 that follow the same individuals interviewed in the cross-sectional surveys (see SNs 422, 2983, 3888, 4000 4028 and 4620).

Since the election series was originated in 1963 by David Butler and Donald Stokes under the name of Political Change in Britain, 1963-1970 (see under GN 33099), it has been under the direction of a number of academics over time, as detailed below.

British Election Study, 1974-1983 (BES):
The BES was started as a research project at the University of Essex in 1974, to continue the series started by Butler and Stokes. The BES conducted interview surveys following the general elections of February 1974, October 1974 and May 1979. This series also includes a questionnaire survey conducted after the referendum on Britain's membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1975 (see SN 830).

British General Election Study, 1983-1997 (BGES):
From 1983, the series continued under a slightly changed name, directed by Anthony Heath, Roger Jowell and John Curtice, and conducted jointly by Social and Community Planning Research (SCPR - now the National Centre for Social Research, or NatCen) and Nuffield College Oxford. The 1992 BGES surveys were carried out as part of the activities of the Joint Unit for the Study of Social Trends (JUSST), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). A grant by the ESRC to the University of Strathclyde enabled the representation of Scottish electors in the sample to be boosted substantially. This 'oversampling' of the Scots was undertaken in order to permit more detailed investigation of voting behaviour in Scotland than had usually been the case with the BGES. Prior to 1992 BGES surveys excluded electors living in the five constituencies in the Scottish highlands and islands north of the Caledonian Canal because the small and scattered electorate there could not be interviewed cost-effectively. In the 1992 BGES survey however, these constituencies were included in the sampling frame. Users should note that the Scottish element of the 1992 survey has been down-weighted to form a representative British sample. Researchers wishing to analyse the Scottish sample separately should order SN 3171 General Election in Scotland, 1992.

The 1997 studies were carried out by JUSST's successor, the Centre for Research into Elections and Social Trends (CREST) (an ESRC-funded research centre linking NatCen with the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford) in collaboration with Pippa Norris of Harvard University, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Commission for Racial Equality. The 1997 BGES included a greater number of separate but interlinked studies than ever before, for example the separate Scottish and ethnic minority boost sample datasets (SNs 3889 and 3891 respectively) mentioned above.

British Election Study, 2001:
The BES for the 2001 general election (the name was changed again), funded by the ESRC, was once again based at the University of Essex, under the control of David Sanders, Paul Whiteley and Harold Clarke. The 2001 survey comprised three main components and two supplementary ones. The first main component comprised a pre- and post-election cross-section survey, and a panel survey (held under SNs 4619 and 4620). The second consisted of a free-standing 4,500-person 'rolling' election campaign survey, conducted during the general election campaign (held under SN 4621), and the third component comprised a separate election survey conducted in Northern Ireland (held under SN 4622). The supplementary components included the construction of an aggregate, 'ecological' data file, based on census and other data, which describes the enumeration district-level, ward-level and constituency-level context for each panel survey respondent, and a content analysis of national press coverage of the election campaign (see SN 4623). This analysis resulted in the creation of a 'campaign dataset' which enabled movements in opinion during the campaign to be related to press coverage of the campaign.

British Election Study, 2005:
The BES for 2005 was also based at the University of Essex. Its principal objectives were to study long-term trends in British voting behaviour; explain the election outcome, party choice and turnout; and examine the consequences of elections for the operation of democracy more generally. The 2005 BES again comprised three main components: the face-to-face cross-section survey and a follow-up conducted one year later (all held under SN 5494), the British component of an international comparative study of electoral systems (SN 5495), and an internet-based pre- and post-election 'rolling' campaign panel survey (SN 5496).

British Election Study Six-Wave Panel Survey, 2005-2009:
The BES Six-Wave Panel Survey contains panel data from six surveys conducted before and after the 2005 general election.

British Election Study Ethnic Minority Survey, 2010:
The BES Ethnic Minority Survey is a distinct survey with a separate sample and fieldwork to that of the main BES. However, the research was intended to be complementary to the main BES and a large number of items are shared between the two surveys to enable comparative analysis. (The Archive does not yet hold the main British Election Study for 2010).

Further information about BES 2001 and 2005 may be found on the British Election Study at the University of Essex web site. Further information about BES 2009-2010 can be found on the British Election Study 2009-2010 web site.

BESIS:
British Election Study data and documentation from 1966-2005 are also available online via the British Election Studies Information Site (BESIS), maintained by the Centre for Comparative European Survey Data (CCESD). Facilities include online analysis, subsetting of data and mapping of election results by constituency. Further information about and links to the BESIS site are available under UKDA SN 5860.
British Election Panel Study 1992-1997
The aim of the British Election Panel Study 1992-1997 (BEPS1) is to analyse the interaction between long-term structural trends, medium-term economic and other influences, and short-term political factors and the way in which they determine the outcome of elections. The use of a panel enables the analysis of individual-level change in attitudes and behaviour over time.
This study was previously held as an 'interim version' at the UK Data Archive. Following notification from the depositor, National Centre for Social Research (Natcen), in August 2001, that work has been completed, the current dataset is now confirmed as the final version of the study. No changes have been made to the dataset as a result of Natcen's work, and no further updates to the study are currently expected.

Coverage, universe, methodology

Dates of fieldwork: April 1992, August 1997
Country: Great Britain
Spatial units: Standard Statistical Regions
Kind of data: Numeric
Alpha-numeric
Universe: National
British electors
Time dimensions: Longitudinal/panel/cohort
8 waves
Sampling procedures: Multi-stage stratified random sample
Method of data collection: Face-to-face interview; Telephone interview; Postal survey
A face-to-face interview via PAPI was used for the Spring 1992, Spring 1994, Spring 1995, Spring 1996 and Spring 1997 surveys. Telephone interviews were used for the Autumn 1995 and Autumn 1996 surveys. A postal survey questionnaire was used for the Summer 1993 survey.
Weighting: No information recorded

Keywords

ELECTIONSGREAT BRITAINPOLITICAL ATTITUDES
POLITICAL BEHAVIOURPOLITICAL ISSUESVOTING BEHAVIOUR

Administrative and access information

Date of release:
First edition: 02 July 1998
Copyright: No information recorded
Access conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions of access for further information.
Availability: UK Data Service
Contact: Get in touch

Documentation

TitleFile NameSize (KB)
User Guide vol.1 a3888uab.pdf 5235
User Guide vol.2 a3888ubb.pdf 2792
User Guide index file in3888.pdf 10
Study information and citation UKDA_Study_3888_Information.htm 30
READ File read3888.txt 2

Related studies:

British Election Study, February 1974; Cross-Section Survey (SN 359)
British Election Study, 1969, June 1970, February 1974; Panel Survey (SN 422)
British Election Study, October 1974; Cross-Section Survey (SN 666)
British Election Study, October 1974; Scottish Cross-Section Sample (SN 681)
British Election Study : EEC Referendum Survey, 1975 (SN 830)
British Election Study, May 1979; Cross-Section Survey (SN 1533)
British Election Study, February 1974, October 1974, June 1975, May 1979; Panel Survey (SN 1614)
British General Election Study, 1983; Cross-Section Survey (SN 2005)
British General Election Study, 1987; Cross-Section Survey (SN 2568)
British General Election Study, 1992; Cross-Section Survey (SN 2981)
British General Election Panel Study, 1987-1992 (SN 2983)
General Election in Scotland, 1992 (SN 3171)
British General Election Study, 1997; Cross-Section Survey (SN 3887)
Scottish Election Survey, 1997 (SN 3889)
British General Election Study, 1997 : Campaign Panel (SN 3890)
British General Election Study, 1997 : Ethnic Minority Survey (SN 3891)
British Election Panel Study, 1983, 1986 and 1987 (SN 4000)
British Election Panel Study, 1997-2001; Waves 1 to 8 (SN 4028)
British General Election Study, 2001; Cross-Section Survey (SN 4619)
British Election Panel Study, 2001; Waves 1 and 2 (SN 4620)
British General Election Study, 2001 : Campaign Panel (SN 4621)
General Election in Northern Ireland, 2001 (SN 4622)
Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage, British General Election, 2001 (SN 4623)
British Election Study, 2005: Face-to-Face Survey (SN 5494)
British Election Study, 2005: Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (SN 5495)
British Election Study, 2005: Internet Rolling Campaign Panel Data and British Parliamentary Constituency Database (SN 5496)
British Election Study Six-Wave Panel Survey, 2005-2009 (SN 6607)
British Election Study Ethnic Minority Survey, 2010 (SN 6970)
Welsh Election Study, 1979 (SN 1591)
Scottish Election Study, 1979 (SN 1604)
British Election Campaign Study, 1987 (SN 2655)
British Elections, 1963-1992 (SN 3175)
British Election Studies Information System (BESIS), 1964-1992 (SN 3588)
Welsh Assembly Election Study, 1999 (SN 4180)
British Election Studies Information Site, 1966-2005 (SN 5860)
Scottish Election Study, 2007 (SN 6026)
Northern Ireland General Election Attitudes Survey, 2010 (SN 6553)

Related case studies:

Introducing students to politics through real data

Publications

British Election Study, (1974) The British Election Study panel sample 1974: methodological study, June.

British Election Study, (1974) The British Election Survey: technical document, July.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., (1974) 'The why and how of the February voting', New Society, 12 September.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., (1974) The flow of the vote 1970 February 1974 - October 1974.

Sarlvik, B., Crewe, I. and Alt, J., (1974) Class and Party in the elections of 1974.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., The decline of the two-party system, paper presented to Political Studies Association Conference, Oxford, March 1975.

British Election Study, (1975) The British Election Study of October 1974: methodological report, April.

British Election Study, (1975) The British Referendum Survey: a report on fieldwork for the Referendum Recall Study, August.

Fox, A., (1975) 'Attitudes to immigration: a comparison of data from the 1970 and 1974 general election surveys', New Community Vol. IV (2), Summer.

Miller, W., (1975) Series of articles on the special Scottish surveys, The Scotsman, October 10 and 12.

Sarlvik, B., et al, (1976) 'Britain's membership of the EEC: a profile of electoral opinions in the spring of 1974 - with a postscript on the referendum', European Journal of Political Science Vol. 4 (1), March, pp.83-113.

Fox, A. and Alt, J., The reliability of occupational coding, paper presented to SSRC Seminar on Longitudinal Studies, Cambridge, March 1976.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., The erosion of partisanship 1964 - 1975, paper presented to the Political Studies Association Conference, Nottingham, March 1976.

Alt, J., Personal well-being and economic trends in Britain, paper presented to ECPR Workshop on Protest, Dissatisfaction and Change, ECPR Joint Sessions, Louvain-la-Neuve, April 1976.

Alt, J., Sarlvik, B. and Crewe, I., (1976) 'Partisanship and policy choice: issue preferences in the British electorate, February 1974', British Journal of Political Science, 6(3), July.

Alt, J., Sarlvik, B. and Crewe, I., (1976) 'Individual differences scaling and group attitude structures', Quantity and Quality, Vol.10, December.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., (1976) 'The election of February 1974' IN R. Rose (ed.), Studies in British Politics, 3rd edition, London: Macmillan.

Crewe, I., Fox, A. and Alt, J., (1977) 'Non-voting in British general elections 1966 - October 1974' IN C. Crouch (ed.), British Political Sociology Yearbook: Vol. III, Political Participation, London: Croom Helm.

Miller, W., (1977) 'The connection between SNP voting and the demand for Scottish self government', The European Journal of Political Research, 5(1), March.

Crewe, I., Sarlvik, B. and Alt, J., (1977) 'Partisan dealignment in Britain 1964 - 1974', British Journal of Political Science, 7(2), April.

Alt, J., Crewe, I. and Sarlvik, B., (1977) 'Angels in plastic: Liberal support in 1974', Political Studies, 25(3), September.

Crewe, I. and Sarlvik, B., (1979) 'The Conservative Party and the electorate', IN T.L. Henry (ed.), Conservative Party politics, London: Macmillan.

Alt, J.E., (1979) The politics of economic decline, Cambridge University Press.

Crewe, I.M. and Sarlvik, B., (1979) 'Popular attitudes and electoral strategy' IN Z. Layton-Henry (ed.), Conservative Party politics, London: Macmillan.

Crewe, I.M., (1980) 'Why the Conservatives Won', in H. Penniman (ed.), Britain at the Polls, American Enterprise Institute.

Crewe, I.M., Negative partisanship: some preliminary ideas using British data, Paper presented to European Consortium for Political Research, Florence, March, 1980.

Crewe, I.M., (1980) 'Prospects for party realignment: an Anglo-American comparison' Comparative Politics, 12(4), July.

Crewe, I.M., The electoral decline of the Labour Party, paper presented to Conference on the Politics of the Labour Party, Nuffield College, Oxford, September 1980.

British Election Study, (1980) A comparison of respondent's characteristics with known population parameters, Technical paper 1980:1.

British Election Study, (1980) The British Election Study, May 1979 questionnaire, Technical paper 1980:2.

British Election Study, (1981) A description of surveys conducted by the BES Research Project, Technical paper 1981:1.

British Election Study, (1981) Questionnaire continuity guide, Technical paper 1981:2.

Crewe, I.M., (1981) 'The Labour Party and the electorate', in D.A. Kavanagh (ed.), The politics of the Labour Party, London: Allen Unwin.

Sarlvik, B., Crewe, I.M., and Robertson, D., Why the parties were liked and disliked in the 1979 Election: an analysis of 'Free Answer' survey data, paper presented to the Political Studies Association Conference, Hull, April 1981.

Crewe, I.M., Electoral Volatility in Britain Since 1945, paper presented to the European Consortium for Political Research, Lancaster, 1981.

Crewe, I.M., Party and the public, paper presented to the Hansard Society/American Enterprise Institute Conference on the Role of Political Parties, Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire, May 1981.

Heath, A.F. and MacDonald, S-K., (1988) 'The demise of party identification theory?' Electoral Studies, 7, pp.95-107.

Swaddle, K. and Heath, A. (1987) Official and reported turnout in the British General Election of 1987, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.

Heath, A., (1991) Understanding political change : voting behaviour in Britain 1964-1987, Oxford: Pergamon.

Heath, A.F. and Pierce, R. (1992) 'It was party identification all along : question-order effects on reports of party identification in Britain' Electoral Studies, II.

Heath, A., et al, (eds.) (1993) Labour's last chance : the 1992 election and beyond, Aldershot: Dartmouth.

Heath, A., Jowell, R. and Curtice, J. (2001) The rise of New Labour: party policies and voter choices, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Brook, L. and Taylor, B. (1996) British Election Panel Study 1992-95: Interim technical notes, CREST Working Paper 41.

Taylor, B., Heath, A. and Lynn, P. (1996) The British Election Panel Study 1992-95: Response characteristics and attrition, CREST Working Paper 40.

Surridge, P. et al, (1998) 'The Scottish electorate and the Scottish parliament' Scottish Affairs special issue.

Saggar, S. (ed.) (1998) Race and British electoral politics, London: UCL Press.

Thomson, K., Park, A. and Brook, L. (1999) British General Election Study 1997: Cross-section Survey, Scottish Election Study, and Ethnic Minority Election Study, London: National Centre for Social Research.

Variables

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