Political Issues and Liberal Support in the February 1974, British General Election

Abstract

This article examines the motivations of voters who supported the Liberal Party in the February, 1974, General Election. The analysis consists of two major sections. In the first, the role of the Party in the election campaign is outlined with special emphasis on the part played by the polls and by Jeremy Thorpe in encouraging Liberal support. The second, and major section, analyses polling data to ascertain the motivations of Liberal supporters. It is argued that Liberal voters chose that party in order to express dissatisfaction with the policy stands and office performance of the major parties. Such voters are shown to have had specific policy disagreements with the major parties and were not simply voicing diffuse discontent in a period of serious crisis.