Working-class conservative voters in 2019: voices from a valley in northern England

This paper highlights the findings from qualitative research into the electoral decision-making processes of working-class Conservative voters from a constituency in northern England. Through focussing specifically upon their primary concerns during the 2019 election, the piece expands upon existing quantitative research. Survey studies have highlighted leadership concerns and Brexit as the primary factors that have driven voters away from Labour and towards the Conservative Party. It is argued here that leadership, Brexit, and economic management were closely intertwined, with party leaders at the centre of broader thinking for these participants. Perceptions of the party leaders were foremost in these deliberations and this has clearly impacted upon the interviewees’ thinking on a range of political matters. Additionally, the interviews asked what might influence the participants’ future electoral choices. Here, the data suggest a sense of limited, qualified attachment to the Conservative Party and a desire to see the Labour Party move towards what the respondents perceive as a centrist ideological position. The final section considers what these findings may mean for the major parties in future electoral contests. It is suggested that the presidential focus has worked for Johnson so far due to his abilities as a communicator, but the government will have a difficult hill to climb in this parliament if they are to retain the loyalty of these voters in future.