Variable

UK Data Service variable record for:

British General Election Study, 1987; Cross-Section Survey

Variable Details

VariableV15B4
LabelReason 4 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)? 4th reason
Responses
100 Positive refs-named Con. leaders 1
101 General 7
102 Mrs. Thatcher 34
103 Local people in Party 4
110 Oth pos refs-general images 16
111 Competence in governing 49
112 Keeps promises, honest 24
113 Strong, decisive 33
114 United Party, not divided 2
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 30
122 For free/Private enterprise/Profit 8
123 For indiv opp./Self-reliance/Indiv. choice 21
124 Social welfare, welfare state 1
125 Equality 0
126 Traditional/Patriotic Party 2
127 Right, not leftist 1
128 Fresh, new ideas 0
130 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
131 Foreign policy 20
132 Defence 27
133 Nuclear defence issues 22
134 Falklands 1
135 Stands up to EEC, Common Market 4
139 General domestic policies 0
140 Other domestic issues 2
141 Budget, managing economy 30
142 Unemployment 12
143 Prices, inflation 13
144 Taxes/Cutting taxes/Lower taxes 10
145 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 6
146 Privatisation 9
147 Shares/share ownership/the City 5
148 National Health Service 4
149 Housing policy 12
150 State education 8
151 State pensions/Family allowance 4
152 Private health care/Education/Pensions 4
153 Crime, law and order 5
154 Strikes, industrial relations 4
155 Trade Unions 17
156 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
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 17
162 All people, vast majority 12
163 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 2
164 Middle class/better-off 1
165 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
166 The unemployed 6
167 Those running industry/business 2
168 Those in City, financial services 0
169 Self-employed/small businessmen 14
170 Homeowners 9
171 Council tenants/the homeless 5
172 Shareowners 2
173 Taxpayers 0
174 Pensioners/older people 3
175 Young people 6
176 People in this part of country 8
177 Straight people/heterosexual 0
178 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
179 Public sector workers 0
180 Other responses-Party politics 1
181 Always been Conservative 9
182 Unknown label 0
183 Family/Parents etc. Conservatives 3
184 Active in local Conservative Party 1
185 Better not to switch parties 15
186 Vote for Party that could win 1
187 Tactical vote for Conservatives 0
188 Cons no chance-but voted for them anyway 0
189 Want Cons have more seats 1
190 Cons fought better campaign 1
196 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
197 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
198 No codes-Other answer 0
200 Negative refs-named Con. leaders 1
201 General 3
202 Mrs. Thatcher 27
203 Local people in Party 3
210 Oth negative mentions of party 2
211 Competence in governing 6
212 Can't keep promises/dishonest 7
213 Weak, indecisive 0
214 Divided Party, not divided 2
215 Uncaring, unconcerned 10
216 Divides the Nation 1
217 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 15
220 Oth negative mentions-philosophies or ideas 0
221 Dislike overall philosophy 9
222 Free/Private enterprise/Profit 2
223 Too individualistic 1
224 Social welfare, welfare state 3
225 Inequality 3
226 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
227 Are to Right, not leftist 4
228 Have no new ideas 0
230 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 2
231 Foreign policy 0
232 Defence 2
233 Nuclear defence issues 6
234 Falklands 1
235 Stand on EEC, Common Market 0
239 General domestic policies 1
240 Other domestic issues 2
241 Budget, managing economy 4
242 Unemployment 18
243 Prices, inflation 2
244 Taxes 1
245 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 9
246 Privatisation 7
247 Shares/Share ownership/The City 0
248 National Health Service 10
249 Housing policy 3
250 State education 15
251 State pensions/Family allowance 8
252 Private health care/Education/Pensions 5
253 Crime, law and order 3
254 Strikes, industrial relations 1
255 Trade Unions 1
256 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
257 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
258 Women, Women's issues 0
259 Environmental or 'green' issues 2
260 Negative mentions handling oth groups 2
261 Me, I am worse off 13
262 All people, vast majority 1
263 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 25
264 Middle class/better-off 26
265 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
266 The unemployed 8
267 Those running industry/business 1
268 Those in City, financial services 0
269 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
270 Homeowners 0
271 Council tenants/the homeless 0
272 Shareowners 1
273 Taxpayers 0
274 Pensioners/older people 9
275 Young people 4
276 People in this part of country 11
277 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
278 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
279 Public sector workers 5
280 Other responses-Party politics 0
281 Used to be Conservative 0
282 Always hated/disliked Conservatives 3
283 Family etc. hate Conservatives 2
284 Dislikes local Con. Party 0
285 Time for a change 1
286 Win anyway-didn't need vote 0
287 Tactical vote against Conservatives 3
288 Cons no chance-so did not vote for it 1
289 Want Cons have fewer seats 1
290 Cons fought bad campaign 2
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 0
302 Neil Kinnock 10
303 Local people in Party 3
310 Oth pos refs-general images 4
311 Competence in governing 8
312 Keeps promises, honest 3
313 Strong, decisive 2
314 United Party, not divided 0
315 Caring, concerned 11
316 Unites the Nation 2
317 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 0
320 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 1
321 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 11
322 For socialism 1
323 For fairness/justice 3
324 Social welfare, welfare state 7
325 Equality 6
326 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
327 Left, not right-wing' 0
328 Fresh, new ideas 0
329 Militant 0
330 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
331 Foreign policy 1
332 Defence 1
333 Nuclear defence issues 9
334 Falklands 0
335 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
339 General domestic policies 0
340 Other domestic issues 1
341 Budget, managing economy 1
342 Unemployment 29
343 Prices, inflation 1
344 Taxes 4
345 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 1
346 Nationalisation 12
347 Shares/share ownership/the City 0
348 National Health Service 22
349 Housing policy 13
350 State education 14
351 State pensions/Family allowance 15
352 Private health care/Education/Pensions 2
353 Crime, law and order 3
354 Strikes, industrial relations 1
355 Trade Unions 6
356 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
357 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
358 Women, Women's issues 0
359 Environmental or 'green' issues 0
360 Pos mentions handling oth groups 4
361 Me, I am better off 16
362 All people, vast majority 8
363 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 20
364 Middle class/better-off 1
365 Trade Unions/Unionists 3
366 The unemployed 17
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 0
372 Shareowners 0
373 Taxpayers 0
374 Pensioners/older people 14
375 Young people 6
376 People in this part of country 11
377 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
378 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
379 Public sector workers 2
380 Other responses-Party politics 1
381 Always been Labour 9
382 Unknown label 1
383 Family/Parents etc. Labour 11
384 Active in local Labour Party 1
385 Time for a change 1
386 Vote for Party that could win 1
387 Tactical vote for Labour 0
388 Labour no chance-but voted for them anyway 0
389 Want Labour have more seats 0
390 Lab fought better campaign 0
396 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
397 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
398 No codes-Other answer 0
400 Negative refs-named Lab. leaders 2
401 General 5
402 Neil Kinnock 14
403 Local people in Party 3
410 Oth negative mentions of party 6
411 Competence in governing 18
412 Can't keep promises/dishonest 10
413 Weak, indecisive 8
414 Divided Party, not divided 18
415 Uncaring, unconcerned 0
416 Divides the Nation 1
417 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 8
420 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 2
421 Dislike overall philosophy 25
422 For socialism 4
423 Not concerned with rights 6
424 Social welfare, welfare state 3
425 Equality 4
426 Against tradition, unpatriotic 1
427 Are to Left, not right-wing 19
428 Have no new ideas 3
429 Militant 3
430 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
431 Foreign policy 2
432 Defence 13
433 Nuclear defence issues 18
434 Falklands 0
435 Policy on EEC, Common Market 1
439 General domestic policies 0
440 Other domestic issues 0
441 Budget, managing economy 17
442 Unemployment 4
443 Prices, inflation 1
444 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 7
445 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 7
446 Nationalisation 11
447 Shares/share ownership/the City 0
448 National Health Service 0
449 Housing policy 2
450 State education 4
451 State pensions/Family allowance 1
452 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
453 Crime, law and order 2
454 Strikes, industrial relations 1
455 Trade Unions 12
456 Immigration, ethnic minorities 3
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 13
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 2
466 The unemployed 0
467 Those working industry/business 1
468 Those working in City/financial services 0
469 Self-employed/small businessmen 1
470 Homeowners 3
471 Council tenants/the homeless 2
472 Shareowners 2
473 Taxpayers 1
474 Pensioners/older people 0
475 Young people 1
476 People in this part of country 1
477 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 2
478 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
479 Public sector workers 1
480 Other responses-Party politics 0
481 Used to be Labour 2
482 Always hated/disliked Labour 3
483 Family etc. hate Labour 0
484 Dislikes local Lab. Party 0
485 Time for a change 1
486 Win anyway-didn't need vote 0
487 Tactical vote against Labour 2
488 Labour no chance-so did not vote for it 1
489 Want Lab have fewer seats 0
490 Labour fought bad campaign 4
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 2
502 David Owen 7
503 Local people in Party 5
504 Liked two leaders 0
510 Oth pos refs-general images 2
511 Competence in governing 2
512 Keeps promises, honest 3
513 Strong, decisive 0
514 United Party, not divided 1
515 Caring, concerned 8
516 Unites the Nation 1
517 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 20
518 Alliance like Conservatives 2
519 Alliance like Labour 3
520 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 0
521 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 23
522 For free/private enterprise 0
523 For individual opportunity 2
524 Social welfare, welfare state 1
525 Equality 0
526 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
527 Right, not left-wing 0
528 Fresh, new ideas 2
529 Neither left nor right 2
530 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
531 Foreign policy 0
532 Defence 4
533 Keep nuclear weapons 4
534 Falklands 0
535 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
539 General domestic policies 2
540 Other domestic issues 1
541 Budget, managing economy 1
542 Unemployment 9
543 Prices, inflation 0
544 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 0
545 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 0
546 For Privatisation 0
547 Share ownership 2
548 National Health Service 3
549 Housing policy 0
550 State education 6
551 State pensions/Family allowance 0
552 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
553 Crime, law and order 0
554 Strikes, industrial relations 1
555 Trade Unions 1
556 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
557 Gay/lesbian/homosexual issues 0
558 Women, Women's issues 0
559 Environmental or 'green' issues 2
560 Pos mentions handling oth groups 1
561 Me, I am better off 2
562 All people, vast majority 6
563 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 6
564 Middle class/better-off 2
565 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
566 The unemployed 1
567 Those working in industry/business 0
568 Those working in City/finance 0
569 Self-employed/small businessmen 1
570 Homeowners 0
571 Council tenants/the homeless 1
572 Shareowners 0
573 Taxpayers 0
574 Pensioners/older people 3
575 Young people 0
576 People in this part of country 6
577 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
578 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
579 Public sector workers 0
580 Other responses-Party politics 0
581 Always been Alliance/Liberal 1
583 Family/Parents etc. Alliance 0
584 Active in local SDP/Liberal Party 5
585 Time for a change 14
586 Vote for Party that could win 1
587 Tactical vote for Alliance 0
588 Alliance no chance-but voted for them anyway 1
589 Want Alliance have more seats 5
590 Alliance better campaign 2
591 Likes SDP 2
593 Liked coalition-two parties 1
596 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
597 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
598 No codes-Other answer 0
600 SDP leaders-negative refs 0
601 General 2
602 David Owen 2
603 Local people in Party 2
604 Disliked two leaders 1
610 Oth negative mentions of party 0
611 (In)Competence in governing 5
612 Can't keep promises/dishonest 0
613 Weak, indecisive 7
614 Divided Party, not divided 5
615 Uncaring, unconcerned 0
616 Divides the Nation 0
617 Party too moderate 1
618 Alliance like Conservatives 0
619 Alliance like Labour 1
620 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 0
621 Dislike overall philosophy 1
622 For private enterprise 0
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 2
629 Negative-Alliance left nor right 0
630 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
631 Foreign policy 0
632 Defence 1
633 Favour Nuclear weapons-negative mentions 0
634 Falklands 0
635 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
636 Alliance split-nuclear defence 1
639 General domestic policies 0
640 Other domestic issues 0
641 Budget, managing economy 3
642 Unemployment 0
643 Prices, inflation 1
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 0
662 All people, vast majority 0
663 Not favour working class/less well-off/poor 1
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 1
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 2
677 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
678 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
679 Public sector workers 0
680 Other responses-Party politics 1
681 Used to be Alliance 0
682 Always hated/disliked Alliance 0
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 0
688 Alliance no chance-so did not vote for it 1
689 Want Alliance have fewer seats 0
690 Fought bad campaign 1
691 Dislikes SDP 1
693 Merge two parties 1
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 0
702 David Steel 9
722 For socialism/social democracy 1
723 For fairness/justice 2
727 Left, not right-wing 1
733 Get rid of nuclear weapons 0
746 For Nationalisation 1
791 Likes Liberal Party 2
800 Liberal leaders-negative refs 0
802 David Steel 1
822 For socialism 0
823 Fairness-too much concern for 0
827 Are to Left, not right-wing 1
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 0
901 Pro-SNP:looks after Scotland's interests 1
902 Pro-SNP:any reason 1
903 Anti-SNP:any reason 1
921 Pro-Plaid Cymru:looks after Welsh interests 0
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 0
996 No codes-bad probing 0
997 No codes-illegible handwriting 0
998 Other answers-vague/irrelevant 0
999 Not answered 0
Sysmiss 4197
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