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| Why do women vote differently from men? | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Parenting websites, fashion magazines and daytime TV. As the election looms, politicians will pop up in or on them all in the fight for the female vote. But why do women need to be targeted differently and does it work, asks Professor Alison Wolf. | Parenting websites, fashion magazines and daytime TV. As the election looms, politicians will pop up in or on them all in the fight for the female vote. But why do women need to be targeted differently and does it work, asks Professor Alison Wolf. |
| British politicians queued up recently to name their favourite biscuits on Mumsnet, the social networking site for parents. They have also been cosying up to the editors of fashion and gossip magazines like Grazia. | British politicians queued up recently to name their favourite biscuits on Mumsnet, the social networking site for parents. They have also been cosying up to the editors of fashion and gossip magazines like Grazia. |
| Women voters globally are concerned with policies that concern family life | |
| It suggests an oddly old-fashioned and patronising view of women. Half the workforce is now female and academically girls are well ahead of boys. Does this approach really make sense? | It suggests an oddly old-fashioned and patronising view of women. Half the workforce is now female and academically girls are well ahead of boys. Does this approach really make sense? |
| Actually, it just might. Politically, women are distinct and vote differently from men, sometimes by large margins. This gender gap is not peculiarly British, on the contrary, at election time a gender gap opens up everywhere in the world. | Actually, it just might. Politically, women are distinct and vote differently from men, sometimes by large margins. This gender gap is not peculiarly British, on the contrary, at election time a gender gap opens up everywhere in the world. |
| Well-researched explanations as to why this is so are surprisingly hard to find. But we do know that, over time, the female vote has swung in different directions. In Britain, women were once much more likely than men to vote Conservative. This wasn't because 1950s women voted like their husbands, in fact they voted quite differently. | Well-researched explanations as to why this is so are surprisingly hard to find. But we do know that, over time, the female vote has swung in different directions. In Britain, women were once much more likely than men to vote Conservative. This wasn't because 1950s women voted like their husbands, in fact they voted quite differently. |
| During the 1980s and 1990s many women, especially younger ones, moved left and the gender gap shrank fast. By early this decade, women under 35 were much more likely to support the Lib Dems than men of the same age, but overall they were on occasion giving Labour more votes than men were. Now the polls suggest this is reversing itself once more. | During the 1980s and 1990s many women, especially younger ones, moved left and the gender gap shrank fast. By early this decade, women under 35 were much more likely to support the Lib Dems than men of the same age, but overall they were on occasion giving Labour more votes than men were. Now the polls suggest this is reversing itself once more. |
| Intuitive | Intuitive |
| We tend to think British elections, and British society, are dominated by class and that men and women will basically vote their class interest. This clearly isn't true. | We tend to think British elections, and British society, are dominated by class and that men and women will basically vote their class interest. This clearly isn't true. |
| Professor Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex observes that "over time class politics has declined, got much less important, and people are much more pick and mix about which party they'll choose. Whereas in the 1950s people would stay with their party even when they felt it was not performing well". | Professor Paul Whiteley of the University of Essex observes that "over time class politics has declined, got much less important, and people are much more pick and mix about which party they'll choose. Whereas in the 1950s people would stay with their party even when they felt it was not performing well". |
| These changes give politicians a strong incentive to find out what women want, hence the fascination with Mumsnet. The site has over a million members and three quarters of a million are signed up to rival Netmums. Going online offers a chance to project yourself and your party. If it highlights women's specific concerns, it is time doubly well spent. | These changes give politicians a strong incentive to find out what women want, hence the fascination with Mumsnet. The site has over a million members and three quarters of a million are signed up to rival Netmums. Going online offers a chance to project yourself and your party. If it highlights women's specific concerns, it is time doubly well spent. |
| WHY PUBLIC MATTERS TO WOMEN Two thirds of public sector employees are now womenIn the last decade 90% of new jobs taken by women have been in the public sectorTeachers and nurses are overwhelmingly female, so are school support staff | WHY PUBLIC MATTERS TO WOMEN Two thirds of public sector employees are now womenIn the last decade 90% of new jobs taken by women have been in the public sectorTeachers and nurses are overwhelmingly female, so are school support staff |
| Modern research on elections shows there are three big influences at work when people decide how to vote. One is party loyalty, or partisanship. Some people, men and women, never change their party. Second is any big issues that an individual cares about and the third is the leaders on offer. | Modern research on elections shows there are three big influences at work when people decide how to vote. One is party loyalty, or partisanship. Some people, men and women, never change their party. Second is any big issues that an individual cares about and the third is the leaders on offer. |
| Women cared about their families in the past and they care about them now. But although this hasn't changed, lives have. Fifty years ago the contrasts between men and women were much more obvious. Married women stayed at home and men went out to work - but big differences still exist. | Women cared about their families in the past and they care about them now. But although this hasn't changed, lives have. Fifty years ago the contrasts between men and women were much more obvious. Married women stayed at home and men went out to work - but big differences still exist. |
| Dr Rosie Campbell, of the University of London's Birkbeck College, is a specialist on voting behaviour. She thinks changes in how women combine home life with paid employment are very important in explaining why many women have swung to the left. | Dr Rosie Campbell, of the University of London's Birkbeck College, is a specialist on voting behaviour. She thinks changes in how women combine home life with paid employment are very important in explaining why many women have swung to the left. |
| "We know that women do the majority of domestic work and childcare," she says. "And that when they become mothers, there is an impact upon their work/life balance. | "We know that women do the majority of domestic work and childcare," she says. "And that when they become mothers, there is an impact upon their work/life balance. |
| Signals | Signals |
| "I would suspect this is all about family life. It's saying 'well actually, if I'm going to be out in the workplace, then I need the state to intervene more to provide things like childcare'." | "I would suspect this is all about family life. It's saying 'well actually, if I'm going to be out in the workplace, then I need the state to intervene more to provide things like childcare'." |
| The nature of other countries' gender gaps supports this argument. American women are significantly less hostile to a "big state" than American men and much more likely to vote Democrat. In Sweden, women are particularly anxious to preserve the welfare state and vote accordingly. | The nature of other countries' gender gaps supports this argument. American women are significantly less hostile to a "big state" than American men and much more likely to vote Democrat. In Sweden, women are particularly anxious to preserve the welfare state and vote accordingly. |
| Of course, no politician will announce that they're against the family. But there is ample space for inter-party competition on this count and good reasons to project yourself actively as supporting families and mothers. | Of course, no politician will announce that they're against the family. But there is ample space for inter-party competition on this count and good reasons to project yourself actively as supporting families and mothers. |
| LISTEN TO THE PROGRAMME Analysis, Radio 4, Monday 8 March at 2030 GMT and Sunday 14 March at 2130 GMTOr listen via the BBC iPlayer Or download the podcast | LISTEN TO THE PROGRAMME Analysis, Radio 4, Monday 8 March at 2030 GMT and Sunday 14 March at 2130 GMTOr listen via the BBC iPlayer Or download the podcast |
| Leaders matter to both men and women. And sometimes, though not always, women like a particular leader far more strongly than men do. | Leaders matter to both men and women. And sometimes, though not always, women like a particular leader far more strongly than men do. |
| "Labour support jumped dramatically in 1994," says Prof Whiteley. "Why? Because Labour got a new leader, Tony Blair, who was very popular at the time, and women in particular liked him." | "Labour support jumped dramatically in 1994," says Prof Whiteley. "Why? Because Labour got a new leader, Tony Blair, who was very popular at the time, and women in particular liked him." |
| A leader's popularity rests on whether people like and trust them and feel they understand ordinary lives. Many voters, including many women, have no interest in detailed policies. They vote on a more intuitive feel for the whole package on offer. | A leader's popularity rests on whether people like and trust them and feel they understand ordinary lives. Many voters, including many women, have no interest in detailed policies. They vote on a more intuitive feel for the whole package on offer. |
| And women do seem, on average, to respond to rather different signals from men. So the mood music matters. In fact, to reach undecided women as election day approaches, Mumsnet is probably less good than Grazia and daytime TV better still. | And women do seem, on average, to respond to rather different signals from men. So the mood music matters. In fact, to reach undecided women as election day approaches, Mumsnet is probably less good than Grazia and daytime TV better still. |
| Alison Wolf is professor of management at King's College London. | Alison Wolf is professor of management at King's College London. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |