Monday, November 13, 2006

Some are odder than others

In her column on Friday, Polly wrote:

British women are odd: traditionally, in France, Germany and Italy women lean to the left and men lean rightwards; but in Britain the right only ever won on the women's vote.

In 1979, 1983 and 1987, occasions on which the right can be have said to have won, men voted clearly for the Tories. In 1979, 45% voted Tory to 38% Labour, in 1983 it was 46% to 30% and in 1987 it was 44% to 31%, according to Table 2 of "Gender and Contemporary British Politics" by Pippa Norris (pdf link available here). I'd have fancied their chances, even without the women's vote.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

she's also wrong about France where women have definitly been more rightwing historically ( the left would have won every election since 1945 without the Americna imposed female enfranchisment) , I know for a fact women in italy tend to be more rightwing historicaly (and i suspect now) as well. And i'd be suprised if that's not the case in Germany!