Finding Comrades – which (non-policy) group based appeals can parties employ to improve their association with the working class
How can parties influence their associations with social groups? The impact of differential policy platforms on group structured voting behaviour is well recognised. Increasingly, however, scholars are also examining the effect of parties’ rank and file make-up as well as that of direct rhetorical group appeals on such associations. Some moreover argue that attachments to parties are sticky heuristics, based on a running tally of both past and present party performance. In light of these predictions I propose a conjoint experimental study of class voting in the UK.