Variable

UK Data Service variable record for:

British General Election Study, 1987; Cross-Section Survey

Variable Details

VariableV15B3
LabelReason 3 why voted for party
Question text You said you voted (PARTY AT V15A) in the 1987 general election. Can you say a bit about why you decided to vote for the (PARTY AT V15A)? 3rd reason
Responses
100 Positive refs-named Con. leaders 2
101 General 11
102 Mrs. Thatcher 53
103 Local people in Party 3
110 Oth pos refs-general images 14
111 Competence in governing 78
112 Keeps promises, honest 11
113 Strong, decisive 69
114 United Party, not divided 4
115 Caring, concerned 4
116 Unites the Nation 2
117 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 1
120 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 0
121 Mentions of philosophy/ideas/beliefs 38
122 For free/Private enterprise/Profit 8
123 For indiv opp./Self-reliance/Indiv. choice 30
124 Social welfare, welfare state 0
125 Equality 0
126 Traditional/Patriotic Party 3
127 Right, not leftist 0
128 Fresh, new ideas 1
130 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
131 Foreign policy 14
132 Defence 43
133 Nuclear defence issues 17
134 Falklands 3
135 Stands up to EEC, Common Market 3
139 General domestic policies 2
140 Other domestic issues 2
141 Budget, managing economy 50
142 Unemployment 10
143 Prices, inflation 25
144 Taxes/Cutting taxes/Lower taxes 24
145 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 7
146 Privatisation 22
147 Shares/share ownership/the City 3
148 National Health Service 4
149 Housing policy 9
150 State education 11
151 State pensions/Family allowance 3
152 Private health care/Education/Pensions 4
153 Crime, law and order 13
154 Strikes, industrial relations 8
155 Trade Unions 24
156 Immigration, ethnic minorities 1
157 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
158 Women, Women's issues 0
159 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
160 Pos mentions handling oth groups 0
161 Me, I am better off 29
162 All people, vast majority 13
163 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 10
164 Middle class/better-off 2
165 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
166 The unemployed 5
167 Those running industry/business 4
168 Those in City, financial services 0
169 Self-employed/small businessmen 17
170 Homeowners 13
171 Council tenants/the homeless 10
172 Shareowners 2
173 Taxpayers 1
174 Pensioners/older people 5
175 Young people 8
176 People in this part of country 5
177 Straight people/heterosexual 0
178 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
179 Public sector workers 4
180 Other responses-Party politics 0
181 Always been Conservative 9
182 Unknown label 0
183 Family/Parents etc. Conservatives 8
184 Active in local Conservative Party 2
185 Better not to switch parties 20
186 Vote for Party that could win 4
187 Tactical vote for Conservatives 0
188 Cons no chance-but voted for them anyway 0
189 Want Cons have more seats 0
190 Cons fought better campaign 2
196 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
197 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
198 No codes-Other answer 0
200 Negative refs-named Con. leaders 0
201 General 5
202 Mrs. Thatcher 36
203 Local people in Party 5
210 Oth negative mentions of party 3
211 Competence in governing 5
212 Can't keep promises/dishonest 1
213 Weak, indecisive 0
214 Divided Party, not divided 1
215 Uncaring, unconcerned 14
216 Divides the Nation 4
217 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 14
220 Oth negative mentions-philosophies or ideas 0
221 Dislike overall philosophy 17
222 Free/Private enterprise/Profit 3
223 Too individualistic 2
224 Social welfare, welfare state 4
225 Inequality 4
226 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
227 Are to Right, not leftist 5
228 Have no new ideas 0
230 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 1
231 Foreign policy 1
232 Defence 5
233 Nuclear defence issues 3
234 Falklands 1
235 Stand on EEC, Common Market 1
239 General domestic policies 0
240 Other domestic issues 2
241 Budget, managing economy 2
242 Unemployment 23
243 Prices, inflation 1
244 Taxes 2
245 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 5
246 Privatisation 8
247 Shares/Share ownership/The City 0
248 National Health Service 23
249 Housing policy 5
250 State education 10
251 State pensions/Family allowance 2
252 Private health care/Education/Pensions 4
253 Crime, law and order 2
254 Strikes, industrial relations 1
255 Trade Unions 4
256 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
257 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
258 Women, Women's issues 0
259 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
260 Negative mentions handling oth groups 0
261 Me, I am worse off 15
262 All people, vast majority 2
263 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 33
264 Middle class/better-off 29
265 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
266 The unemployed 15
267 Those running industry/business 0
268 Those in City, financial services 0
269 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
270 Homeowners 0
271 Council tenants/the homeless 1
272 Shareowners 0
273 Taxpayers 0
274 Pensioners/older people 5
275 Young people 3
276 People in this part of country 10
277 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
278 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
279 Public sector workers 6
280 Other responses-Party politics 0
281 Used to be Conservative 2
282 Always hated/disliked Conservatives 10
283 Family etc. hate Conservatives 0
284 Dislikes local Con. Party 1
285 Time for a change 5
286 Win anyway-didn't need vote 0
287 Tactical vote against Conservatives 8
288 Cons no chance-so did not vote for it 3
289 Want Cons have fewer seats 1
290 Cons fought bad campaign 1
295 Never though about voting Cons 0
296 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
297 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
298 No codes-Other answer 0
300 Positive refs-named Labour leaders 0
301 General 2
302 Neil Kinnock 11
303 Local people in Party 6
310 Oth pos refs-general images 7
311 Competence in governing 7
312 Keeps promises, honest 2
313 Strong, decisive 3
314 United Party, not divided 0
315 Caring, concerned 14
316 Unites the Nation 2
317 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 1
320 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 0
321 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 14
322 For socialism 5
323 For fairness/justice 3
324 Social welfare, welfare state 5
325 Equality 2
326 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
327 Left, not right-wing' 1
328 Fresh, new ideas 0
329 Militant 1
330 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
331 Foreign policy 1
332 Defence 7
333 Nuclear defence issues 17
334 Falklands 1
335 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
339 General domestic policies 2
340 Other domestic issues 0
341 Budget, managing economy 6
342 Unemployment 45
343 Prices, inflation 0
344 Taxes 5
345 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 1
346 Nationalisation 5
347 Shares/share ownership/the City 0
348 National Health Service 36
349 Housing policy 7
350 State education 19
351 State pensions/Family allowance 10
352 Private health care/Education/Pensions 2
353 Crime, law and order 0
354 Strikes, industrial relations 1
355 Trade Unions 8
356 Immigration, ethnic minorities 2
357 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
358 Women, Women's issues 0
359 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
360 Pos mentions handling oth groups 8
361 Me, I am better off 33
362 All people, vast majority 8
363 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 50
364 Middle class/better-off 7
365 Trade Unions/Unionists 4
366 The unemployed 23
367 Those working in industry/business 1
368 Those working in City/finance 0
369 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
370 Homeowners 0
371 Council tenants/the homeless 2
372 Shareowners 0
373 Taxpayers 0
374 Pensioners/older people 24
375 Young people 7
376 People in this part of country 12
377 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
378 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
379 Public sector workers 5
380 Other responses-Party politics 1
381 Always been Labour 16
382 Unknown label 1
383 Family/Parents etc. Labour 18
384 Active in local Labour Party 4
385 Time for a change 3
386 Vote for Party that could win 4
387 Tactical vote for Labour 0
388 Labour no chance-but voted for them anyway 1
389 Want Labour have more seats 2
390 Lab fought better campaign 2
396 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
397 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
398 No codes-Other answer 0
400 Negative refs-named Lab. leaders 5
401 General 6
402 Neil Kinnock 20
403 Local people in Party 6
410 Oth negative mentions of party 9
411 Competence in governing 24
412 Can't keep promises/dishonest 6
413 Weak, indecisive 11
414 Divided Party, not divided 11
415 Uncaring, unconcerned 0
416 Divides the Nation 2
417 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 21
420 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 0
421 Dislike overall philosophy 26
422 For socialism 2
423 Not concerned with rights 1
424 Social welfare, welfare state 5
425 Equality 2
426 Against tradition, unpatriotic 0
427 Are to Left, not right-wing 33
428 Have no new ideas 1
429 Militant 4
430 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
431 Foreign policy 0
432 Defence 22
433 Nuclear defence issues 23
434 Falklands 0
435 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
439 General domestic policies 0
440 Other domestic issues 2
441 Budget, managing economy 17
442 Unemployment 4
443 Prices, inflation 5
444 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 10
445 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 3
446 Nationalisation 6
447 Shares/share ownership/the City 0
448 National Health Service 0
449 Housing policy 2
450 State education 1
451 State pensions/Family allowance 2
452 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
453 Crime, law and order 3
454 Strikes, industrial relations 5
455 Trade Unions 10
456 Immigration, ethnic minorities 4
457 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
458 Women, Women's issues 0
459 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
460 Negative mentions handling oth groups 0
461 Me, I am worse off 11
462 All people, vast majority 2
463 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 1
464 Middle class/better-off 1
465 Trade Unions/Unionists 1
466 The unemployed 0
467 Those working industry/business 2
468 Those working in City/financial services 0
469 Self-employed/small businessmen 4
470 Homeowners 0
471 Council tenants/the homeless 0
472 Shareowners 2
473 Taxpayers 1
474 Pensioners/older people 0
475 Young people 1
476 People in this part of country 6
477 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 1
478 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 1
479 Public sector workers 0
480 Other responses-Party politics 0
481 Used to be Labour 5
482 Always hated/disliked Labour 14
483 Family etc. hate Labour 0
484 Dislikes local Lab. Party 5
485 Time for a change 2
486 Win anyway-didn't need vote 1
487 Tactical vote against Labour 5
488 Labour no chance-so did not vote for it 8
489 Want Lab have fewer seats 1
490 Labour fought bad campaign 5
494 Unknown label 1
495 Never though about voting Labour 0
496 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
497 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
498 No codes-Other answer 0
500 SDP leaders-Positive refs 1
501 General 3
502 David Owen 6
503 Local people in Party 10
504 Liked two leaders 1
510 Oth pos refs-general images 3
511 Competence in governing 14
512 Keeps promises, honest 2
513 Strong, decisive 3
514 United Party, not divided 0
515 Caring, concerned 7
516 Unites the Nation 3
517 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 28
518 Alliance like Conservatives 2
519 Alliance like Labour 3
520 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 0
521 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 20
522 For free/private enterprise 0
523 For individual opportunity 0
524 Social welfare, welfare state 1
525 Equality 1
526 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
527 Right, not left-wing 0
528 Fresh, new ideas 2
529 Neither left nor right 3
530 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
531 Foreign policy 0
532 Defence 6
533 Keep nuclear weapons 4
534 Falklands 0
535 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
539 General domestic policies 0
540 Other domestic issues 1
541 Budget, managing economy 2
542 Unemployment 2
543 Prices, inflation 0
544 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 1
545 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 0
546 For Privatisation 2
547 Share ownership 0
548 National Health Service 5
549 Housing policy 2
550 State education 6
551 State pensions/Family allowance 6
552 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
553 Crime, law and order 0
554 Strikes, industrial relations 2
555 Trade Unions 0
556 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
557 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
558 Women, Women's issues 0
559 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
560 Pos mentions handling oth groups 0
561 Me, I am better off 8
562 All people, vast majority 7
563 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 9
564 Middle class/better-off 0
565 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
566 The unemployed 3
567 Those working in industry/business 1
568 Those working in City/finance 0
569 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
570 Homeowners 1
571 Council tenants/the homeless 0
572 Shareowners 0
573 Taxpayers 0
574 Pensioners/older people 5
575 Young people 3
576 People in this part of country 7
577 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
578 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
579 Public sector workers 1
580 Other responses-Party politics 3
581 Always been Alliance/Liberal 2
583 Family/Parents etc. Alliance 3
584 Active in local SDP/Liberal Party 7
585 Time for a change 11
586 Vote for Party that could win 2
587 Tactical vote for Alliance 1
588 Alliance no chance-but voted for them anyway 4
589 Want Alliance have more seats 10
590 Alliance better campaign 7
591 Likes SDP 1
593 Liked coalition-two parties 1
596 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
597 No codes-Bad handwriting 1
598 No codes-Other answer 0
600 SDP leaders-negative refs 1
601 General 3
602 David Owen 1
603 Local people in Party 2
604 Disliked two leaders 3
610 Oth negative mentions of party 2
611 (In)Competence in governing 8
612 Can't keep promises/dishonest 0
613 Weak, indecisive 4
614 Divided Party, not divided 8
615 Uncaring, unconcerned 0
616 Divides the Nation 0
617 Party too moderate 2
618 Alliance like Conservatives 0
619 Alliance like Labour 0
620 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 0
621 Dislike overall philosophy 7
622 For private enterprise 1
623 Individual opp-too much 0
624 Social welfare, welfare state 0
625 Equality 0
626 Against tradition, unpatriotic 0
627 Are to Right, not left-wing 0
628 Have no new ideas 3
629 Negative-Alliance left nor right 0
630 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
631 Foreign policy 0
632 Defence 0
633 Favour Nuclear weapons-negative mentions 0
634 Falklands 0
635 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
636 Alliance split-nuclear defence 0
639 General domestic policies 0
640 Other domestic issues 0
641 Budget, managing economy 0
642 Unemployment 0
643 Prices, inflation 0
644 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 0
645 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 0
646 Privatisation 0
647 Alliance on share ownership 0
648 National Health Service 0
649 Housing policy 0
650 State education 0
651 State pensions/Family allowance 0
652 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
653 Crime, law and order 0
654 Strikes, industrial relations 0
655 Trade Unions 0
656 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
657 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
658 Women, Women's issues 0
659 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
660 Negative mentions grps Alliance supports 0
661 Me, would be worse off 1
662 All people, vast majority 0
663 Not favour working class/less well-off/poor 0
664 Too much favour middle class/better-off 0
665 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
666 The unemployed 0
667 Those working industry/business 0
668 Those working in City/financial services 0
669 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
670 Homeowners 0
671 Council tenants/the homeless 0
672 Shareowners 0
673 Taxpayers 0
674 Pensioners/older people 0
675 Young people 0
676 People in this part of country 0
677 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
678 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
679 Public sector workers 0
680 Other responses-Party politics 0
681 Used to be Alliance 0
682 Always hated/disliked Alliance 1
683 Family etc. hate Alliance (SDP or Liberal) 0
684 Dislikes local SDP/Liberal party 0
685 Time for a change in Alliance 0
686 Win anyway-didn't need vote 0
687 Tactical vote against Alliance 1
688 Alliance no chance-so did not vote for it 12
689 Want Alliance have fewer seats 1
690 Fought bad campaign 1
691 Dislikes SDP 0
693 Merge two parties 3
695 Never though about voting Alliance 0
696 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
697 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
698 No codes-Other answer 0
700 Liberal leaders-Positive refs 2
702 David Steel 2
722 For socialism/social democracy 0
723 For fairness/justice 1
727 Left, not right-wing 1
733 Get rid of nuclear weapons 3
746 For Nationalisation 1
791 Likes Liberal Party 6
800 Liberal leaders-negative refs 0
802 David Steel 2
822 For socialism 1
823 Fairness-too much concern for 0
827 Are to Left, not right-wing 0
833 Oppose nuclear weapons-negative mentions 0
846 Nationalisation 0
863 Too much favour working class/less well-off/poor 0
891 Dislikes Liberal party 1
901 Pro-SNP:looks after Scotland's interests 1
902 Pro-SNP:any reason 1
903 Anti-SNP:any reason 0
921 Pro-Plaid Cymru:looks after Welsh interests 1
922 Pro-Plaid Cymru:any reason 0
923 Anti-Plaid Cymru:any reason 0
941 Positive support-any other party 2
942 Negative support-any other party 1
996 No codes-bad probing 0
997 No codes-illegible handwriting 0
998 Other answers-vague/irrelevant 0
999 Not answered 0
Sysmiss 3581
DisclaimerPlease note that these frequencies are not weighted.
LocationBritish General Election Study, 1987; Cross-Section Survey
UniverseElectors in Great Britain;National
SamplingNationally representative probability sample drawn from the Electoral Registers of England, Wales and Scotland (south of the Caledonian Canal)
Study TypeCross-sectional (one-time) study