Brexit, general election and Indyref: the role of low-income voters in Scotland
Matthew Goodwin and Oliver Heath
22nd May 2018
This report analyses Brexit, the general election and the Scottish independence referendum, and looks at how low-income voters hold the key to Number 10.
The report shows:
- Low-income voters do not have cohesive preferences on the two big referendum issues. Attempts to win them over only on these constitutional issues will likely have limited success.
- Parties would do well to pitch to other issues and to discover more about the preferences and concerns of these voters.
The priorities for the main political parties are:
- The SNP need to expand their base and rejuvenate their message if, with no second independence referendum in sight, they are to remain dominant.
- Labour may be able to get through to voters by offering a programme based more on competence and delivery. The SNP and Conservatives have a track record of being in power, but the fact that so many people are dissatisfied is hardly a ringing endorsement for either of the two incumbent parties.
- The Conservative Party may find further growth somewhat limited. In a similar way to the SNP, there is a ceiling on how much support can be gained from an appeal based around Brexit and the Union.