Why Scousers are not 'typical' voters ahead of general election

Whether the topic is fashion, culture, or dialect, Liverpool is a city that is unique in many ways.

One highly significant way in which Liverpool differs from other British cities is in terms of its cultural identity. The term ‘Scouse not English’ is a familiar one amongst the people of Liverpool, a number of whom put their Liverpudlian identity above any national allegiance.

Liverpool’s political landscape is vastly different to the national picture. The city rarely follows the political trends and tides seen across the rest of the country.

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For politicians, this means that nationwide political campaigns may not be as successful in Liverpool is an other areas. For example, in 2019, as Labour heartlands tumbled across the north, Merseyside's vote for the party actually went up.

The University of Liverpool’s Professor Stuart Wilks-Heeg explained the dilemma politicians can have when campaigning in Liverpool. He said: “In our system you are most likely to succeed if you appeal to the typical voter, and Liverpool voters are not typical.”

Unlike ‘typical’ voters, Liverpool’s political identity tends to remain consistent, not following national trends.

This has been seen in the lack of support for the various right-wing populist parties that have seen popularity increase across other parts of the UK.

Professor Wilks-Heeg said that such parties have “never really made any headway in Liverpool.”

He explained that “right wing populism doesn’t have a great appeal here, that’s do with their pro-English, pro-British, anti-immigration messaging.”

As some in the city do not see themselves as being typically English, patriotic rhetoric is unlikely to attract the support of large swathes of people in the city.

This also explains why, unlike the UK as a whole, in 2016 Liverpool voted to remain in the European Union, with 58% of Scousers voting to stay in the bloc.

Despite Liverpool being firmly in the remain camp, as Professor Wilks-Heeg explained: “You don't have to go far out of the city centre to find a different picture. Sefton and Wirral only just voted remain and St Helens, Halton and Knowsley all voted leave.”

Right wing populism may not be successful in Liverpool due to its reliance on patriotism, but Professor Wilks-Heeg stressed that Liverpool is “in many ways, a very populist place” with a “very strong sense of ‘we are the people, and we don't like the elites.’”

Professor Wilks-Heeg added that if a politician or party could harness this sentiment within Liverpool, they could become highly successful within the city.

He said: “In principle you could see somebody emerging who manages to channel Liverpool identity around a well-crafted campaign.”

Professor Wilks-Heeg's explained that the biggest issue such a movement would be challenging the party machines of the big national parties.

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