Variable

UK Data Service variable record for:

British General Election Study, 1987; Cross-Section Survey

Variable Details

VariableV15B7
LabelReason 7 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)? 7th reason
Responses
100 Positive refs-named Con. leaders 1
101 General 1
102 Mrs. Thatcher 8
103 Local people in Party 0
110 Oth pos refs-general images 3
111 Competence in governing 15
112 Keeps promises, honest 4
113 Strong, decisive 9
114 United Party, not divided 0
115 Caring, concerned 2
116 Unites the Nation 0
117 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 0
120 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 1
121 Mentions of philosophy/ideas/beliefs 2
122 For free/Private enterprise/Profit 2
123 For indiv opp./Self-reliance/Indiv. choice 3
124 Social welfare, welfare state 0
125 Equality 0
126 Traditional/Patriotic Party 1
127 Right, not leftist 0
128 Fresh, new ideas 0
130 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 2
131 Foreign policy 6
132 Defence 1
133 Nuclear defence issues 5
134 Falklands 0
135 Stands up to EEC, Common Market 0
139 General domestic policies 1
140 Other domestic issues 0
141 Budget, managing economy 7
142 Unemployment 6
143 Prices, inflation 1
144 Taxes/Cutting taxes/Lower taxes 2
145 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 1
146 Privatisation 2
147 Shares/share ownership/the City 2
148 National Health Service 1
149 Housing policy 5
150 State education 2
151 State pensions/Family allowance 1
152 Private health care/Education/Pensions 2
153 Crime, law and order 1
154 Strikes, industrial relations 2
155 Trade Unions 1
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 2
162 All people, vast majority 1
163 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 0
164 Middle class/better-off 2
165 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
166 The unemployed 3
167 Those running industry/business 1
168 Those in City, financial services 0
169 Self-employed/small businessmen 3
170 Homeowners 3
171 Council tenants/the homeless 2
172 Shareowners 0
173 Taxpayers 0
174 Pensioners/older people 0
175 Young people 0
176 People in this part of country 2
177 Straight people/heterosexual 0
178 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
179 Public sector workers 0
180 Other responses-Party politics 0
181 Always been Conservative 4
182 Unknown label 0
183 Family/Parents etc. Conservatives 0
184 Active in local Conservative Party 0
185 Better not to switch parties 3
186 Vote for Party that could win 0
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 0
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 1
202 Mrs. Thatcher 7
203 Local people in Party 0
210 Oth negative mentions of party 2
211 Competence in governing 4
212 Can't keep promises/dishonest 1
213 Weak, indecisive 1
214 Divided Party, not divided 0
215 Uncaring, unconcerned 2
216 Divides the Nation 1
217 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 3
220 Oth negative mentions-philosophies or ideas 0
221 Dislike overall philosophy 2
222 Free/Private enterprise/Profit 0
223 Too individualistic 1
224 Social welfare, welfare state 1
225 Inequality 1
226 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
227 Are to Right, not leftist 0
228 Have no new ideas 0
230 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
231 Foreign policy 1
232 Defence 0
233 Nuclear defence issues 3
234 Falklands 1
235 Stand on EEC, Common Market 0
239 General domestic policies 0
240 Other domestic issues 2
241 Budget, managing economy 3
242 Unemployment 7
243 Prices, inflation 0
244 Taxes 1
245 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 3
246 Privatisation 2
247 Shares/Share ownership/The City 0
248 National Health Service 7
249 Housing policy 2
250 State education 2
251 State pensions/Family allowance 3
252 Private health care/Education/Pensions 2
253 Crime, law and order 2
254 Strikes, industrial relations 0
255 Trade Unions 3
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 5
262 All people, vast majority 2
263 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 5
264 Middle class/better-off 6
265 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
266 The unemployed 2
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 4
275 Young people 3
276 People in this part of country 5
277 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
278 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
279 Public sector workers 3
280 Other responses-Party politics 0
281 Used to be Conservative 2
282 Always hated/disliked Conservatives 0
283 Family etc. hate Conservatives 0
284 Dislikes local Con. Party 0
285 Time for a change 0
286 Win anyway-didn't need vote 1
287 Tactical vote against Conservatives 1
288 Cons no chance-so did not vote for it 0
289 Want Cons have fewer seats 0
290 Cons fought bad campaign 0
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 5
303 Local people in Party 0
310 Oth pos refs-general images 0
311 Competence in governing 1
312 Keeps promises, honest 2
313 Strong, decisive 0
314 United Party, not divided 0
315 Caring, concerned 2
316 Unites the Nation 1
317 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 0
320 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 0
321 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 3
322 For socialism 0
323 For fairness/justice 0
324 Social welfare, welfare state 2
325 Equality 1
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 0
332 Defence 1
333 Nuclear defence issues 3
334 Falklands 0
335 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
339 General domestic policies 0
340 Other domestic issues 0
341 Budget, managing economy 0
342 Unemployment 6
343 Prices, inflation 0
344 Taxes 0
345 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 1
346 Nationalisation 3
347 Shares/share ownership/the City 0
348 National Health Service 4
349 Housing policy 0
350 State education 5
351 State pensions/Family allowance 4
352 Private health care/Education/Pensions 1
353 Crime, law and order 0
354 Strikes, industrial relations 0
355 Trade Unions 1
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 2
361 Me, I am better off 7
362 All people, vast majority 0
363 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 4
364 Middle class/better-off 1
365 Trade Unions/Unionists 0
366 The unemployed 8
367 Those working in industry/business 0
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 1
375 Young people 1
376 People in this part of country 1
377 Gays/lesbians/homosexuals 0
378 Ethnic minorities/Blacks/Asians 0
379 Public sector workers 0
380 Other responses-Party politics 0
381 Always been Labour 4
382 Unknown label 0
383 Family/Parents etc. Labour 3
384 Active in local Labour Party 0
385 Time for a change 0
386 Vote for Party that could win 0
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 1
396 No codes-Inadequate probing 0
397 No codes-Bad handwriting 0
398 No codes-Other answer 0
400 Negative refs-named Lab. leaders 0
401 General 1
402 Neil Kinnock 4
403 Local people in Party 1
410 Oth negative mentions of party 0
411 Competence in governing 7
412 Can't keep promises/dishonest 1
413 Weak, indecisive 5
414 Divided Party, not divided 5
415 Uncaring, unconcerned 0
416 Divides the Nation 2
417 Party is extreme/hard-line/not moderate 3
420 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 0
421 Dislike overall philosophy 2
422 For socialism 0
423 Not concerned with rights 2
424 Social welfare, welfare state 1
425 Equality 0
426 Against tradition, unpatriotic 0
427 Are to Left, not right-wing 4
428 Have no new ideas 2
429 Militant 1
430 Oth negative refs-Foreign policy 0
431 Foreign policy 0
432 Defence 2
433 Nuclear defence issues 5
434 Falklands 1
435 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
439 General domestic policies 0
440 Other domestic issues 1
441 Budget, managing economy 3
442 Unemployment 0
443 Prices, inflation 2
444 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 4
445 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 2
446 Nationalisation 2
447 Shares/share ownership/the City 2
448 National Health Service 0
449 Housing policy 1
450 State education 2
451 State pensions/Family allowance 1
452 Private health care/Education/Pensions 1
453 Crime, law and order 2
454 Strikes, industrial relations 2
455 Trade Unions 3
456 Immigration, ethnic minorities 0
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 0
462 All people, vast majority 0
463 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 0
464 Middle class/better-off 1
465 Trade Unions/Unionists 2
466 The unemployed 1
467 Those working industry/business 1
468 Those working in City/financial services 0
469 Self-employed/small businessmen 0
470 Homeowners 0
471 Council tenants/the homeless 0
472 Shareowners 0
473 Taxpayers 0
474 Pensioners/older people 0
475 Young people 0
476 People in this part of country 2
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 1
482 Always hated/disliked Labour 3
483 Family etc. hate Labour 0
484 Dislikes local Lab. Party 0
485 Time for a change 0
486 Win anyway-didn't need vote 0
487 Tactical vote against Labour 0
488 Labour no chance-so did not vote for it 0
489 Want Lab have fewer seats 0
490 Labour fought bad campaign 2
494 Unknown label 0
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 0
501 General 0
502 David Owen 3
503 Local people in Party 1
504 Liked two leaders 1
510 Oth pos refs-general images 0
511 Competence in governing 2
512 Keeps promises, honest 1
513 Strong, decisive 0
514 United Party, not divided 0
515 Caring, concerned 1
516 Unites the Nation 1
517 Party is centre/moderate/not extreme 1
518 Alliance like Conservatives 1
519 Alliance like Labour 0
520 Oth pos refs-philosophies or ideas 1
521 Likes overall philosophy/beliefs 4
522 For free/private enterprise 0
523 For individual opportunity 0
524 Social welfare, welfare state 0
525 Equality 1
526 Traditional/Patriotic Party 0
527 Right, not left-wing 0
528 Fresh, new ideas 0
529 Neither left nor right 0
530 Oth pos refs-Foreign policy 0
531 Foreign policy 0
532 Defence 0
533 Keep nuclear weapons 1
534 Falklands 0
535 Policy on EEC, Common Market 0
539 General domestic policies 0
540 Other domestic issues 0
541 Budget, managing economy 0
542 Unemployment 2
543 Prices, inflation 0
544 Taxes/cutting taxes/lower taxes 0
545 Poll tax/Community charge/Rates 2
546 For Privatisation 0
547 Share ownership 0
548 National Health Service 0
549 Housing policy 0
550 State education 0
551 State pensions/Family allowance 0
552 Private health care/Education/Pensions 0
553 Crime, law and order 0
554 Strikes, industrial relations 0
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 0
560 Pos mentions handling oth groups 1
561 Me, I am better off 1
562 All people, vast majority 1
563 Working people/the less well-off/the poor 0
564 Middle class/better-off 0
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 0
570 Homeowners 0
571 Council tenants/the homeless 0
572 Shareowners 0
573 Taxpayers 0
574 Pensioners/older people 0
575 Young people 1
576 People in this part of country 1
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 0
583 Family/Parents etc. Alliance 0
584 Active in local SDP/Liberal Party 0
585 Time for a change 1
586 Vote for Party that could win 0
587 Tactical vote for Alliance 0
588 Alliance no chance-but voted for them anyway 0
589 Want Alliance have more seats 3
590 Alliance better campaign 1
591 Likes SDP 1
593 Liked coalition-two parties 0
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 0
602 David Owen 0
603 Local people in Party 0
604 Disliked two leaders 1
610 Oth negative mentions of party 0
611 (In)Competence in governing 3
612 Can't keep promises/dishonest 1
613 Weak, indecisive 1
614 Divided Party, not divided 0
615 Uncaring, unconcerned 1
616 Divides the Nation 0
617 Party too moderate 0
618 Alliance like Conservatives 0
619 Alliance like Labour 0
620 Oth negative mentions-Philosophies or ideas 0
621 Dislike overall philosophy 4
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 1
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 1
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 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 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 5
689 Want Alliance have fewer seats 0
690 Fought bad campaign 0
691 Dislikes SDP 0
693 Merge two parties 0
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 1
702 David Steel 0
722 For socialism/social democracy 0
723 For fairness/justice 0
727 Left, not right-wing 0
733 Get rid of nuclear weapons 1
746 For Nationalisation 0
791 Likes Liberal Party 0
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 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 0
901 Pro-SNP:looks after Scotland's interests 0
902 Pro-SNP:any reason 0
903 Anti-SNP:any reason 0
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 0
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 5530
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