The Modern Gender Gap comes to Britain: Are Men and Women Drifting Apart in their Politics?

The relationship between gender and political choice is complex. Historically women tended to lean more conservative, whilst men were more left-leaning. In recent elections, however, this gender gap has reversed, bringing Britain more in line with patterns seen in the US and other postindustrial democracies. The emergence of this ‘modern gender gap’ pits increasingly left-liberal leaning young women against their right-leaning young male counterparts. But is this difference durable or transitory? Is it just confined to the younger generations? What is driving these changes? How much do men and women really differ in their attitudes to the state, to immigration, to feminist causes, and the raft of other issues that help determine vote choice? What might this mean for society if men and women increasingly come to see each other as political rivals? Hear from one of Britain's leading scholars of gender and politics on what could prove to be a major storyline in the run-up to the next election.