Religion and Political Attitudes: The British Election Study 2015, Internet Panel – Wave 4

This post provides a summary of findings relating to religion and political attitudes, based on a selection of questions taken from Wave 4 of the BES 2015 internet panel study (fieldwork was conducted online between 6-13 March 2015). The analysis is based on the beta version of the survey dataset (which can be obtained here), using the core sample from Wave 4. The questions looked at encompass party support, ideology and policy debates. Each table presented below looks at attitudes on the basis of religious affiliation using a parsimonious set of categories (Anglican, Catholic, other Christian, other religion, no religion). A previous analysis of religion and attitudes based on data from Wave One of the BES 2015 study is available here. 

Party Support

Table 1 provides a breakdown of party identification by affiliation. A question on party identification has featured in the BES surveys since their inception in 1963. Note the greater propensity for Anglicans to report that they identify with the Conservative Party, in keeping with their traditional loyalty to this party at the polls; Catholics are more likely to identify with Labour, again in accordance with traditional patterns of denominational voting. Other Christians are more evenly split between the Conservative and Labour parties, as are those with no affiliation. The other religion group shows a greater propensity to support Labour.

Table 1: Current party identification by religious affiliation

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: Percentages sum down the columns.

Using another way of gauging party support, Table 2 shows the average scores based on a series of scales measuring like or dislike (scores for four parties are shown here). Higher scores equate to more likeability. In keeping with the pattern from Table 1, Anglicans have the highest likeability score for the Conservative Party, while Catholics and other religions show the highest likability scores for Labour. Other Christians register identical scores for the Conservatives and Labour. Those with no affiliation show a clear preference for Labour over the Conservatives. The Lib Dems and UKIP generally receive lower likeability scores, though Anglicans are more favourable to the latter compared to other groups.

Table 2: Like-dislike for political parties, by religious affiliation (mean scores)

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: 0 to 10 scale, where 0=strongly dislike and 10=strongly like.

Ideology and Policy

Table 3 reports the mean scores from two scales measuring ideological self-placement, one for left-right position and the other for redistribution. Note that higher scores indicate, respectively, a more right-wing position and a stance that the government should be less concerned with redistribution. Anglicans have the highest scores on the left-right and redistribution scale – they are relatively more right-wing and less in favour of redistribution. Those with no affiliation have the least right-wing score. Catholics, other Christians and those with no religion have very similar scores for the redistribution scale, all slightly higher than that registered for other religions.

Table 3: Ideological self-placement, by religious affiliation (mean scores)

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: Scales range from 0 to 10.

Left-right: 0=left; 10=right.

Redistribution: 0=government should try to make incomes equal; 10=government should be less concerned about equal incomes.

Table 4 shows the proportions agreeing with a series of statements used to measures left-right attitudes. These statements are long-running items in the BES and British Social Attitudes surveys (and the full wordings are shown underneath Table 4). In each case, the ‘left-wing’ response is reported. Most of the statements elicit large majorities in agreement, lowest for the question on redistribution. However, the responses do not tend to show much variation in levels of agreement across groups.

Table 4: Left-right questions: Percent agreeing, by religious affiliation

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: Combines ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ responses.

Questions:

Government should redistribute income from the better-off to those who are less well off.

Big business benefits owners at the expense of workers.

Ordinary working people do not get their fair share of the nation’s wealth.

There is one law for the rich and one for the poor.

Management will always try to get the better of employees if it gets the chance.

Attitudes differ more on the basis of affiliation in relation to questions concerning libertarian-authoritarian orientations (again a long-running feature of the BES and BSA surveys). Levels of agreement with five statements are reported in Table 5 (the wording is again provided underneath), and are generally high across questions. Anglicans are most in favour of the death penalty (with support lowest amongst other religions and those with no religion). Those with no religion are least likely to support the use of censorship and, along with the other religion group, are somewhat less authoritarian in their views on traditional values, obeying authority and the use of tougher sentences.

Table 5: Libertarian-authoritarian questions: Percent agreeing, by religious affiliation

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: Combines ‘strongly agree’ and ‘agree’ responses.

Questions:

Young people today don’t have enough respect for traditional British values.

For some crimes, the death penalty is the most appropriate sentence.

Schools should teach children to obey authority.

Censorship of films and magazines is necessary to uphold moral standards.

People who break the law should be given stiffer sentences.

Table 6 shows the full set of responses to two questions on welfare, a policy area which recently – and in earlier decades – has seen faith leaders publicly critical of government policy, stoking debate about the exercise of religious authority in the political process. Table 6 shows that a clear majority in each group agrees that too many people like to rely on government handouts (lowest for the other religion group). Always a minority view, disagreement is lowest amongst Anglicans and highest amongst those with no affiliation.

Table 6: Too many people these days like to rely on government handouts, by religious affiliation

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Finally, turning to equality issues, Table 7 shows the proportions saying that equal opportunities for ethnic minorities, women or gays and lesbians have gone (much) too far. This view is much more likely to be held in relation to ethnic minorities and gays and lesbians. The proportions with this opinion are much lower for equal opportunities for women. Those with no religion are least likely to think that equal opportunities have gone too far for gays and lesbians, while those belonging to other religions are least likely say this in relation to ethnic minorities.

Table 7: Attitudes towards equal opportunities: Percent saying gone too far, by religious affiliation

Source: BES 2015 Internet Panel Study – Wave 4, core sample.

Note: Combines ‘gone too far’ and ‘gone much too far’ responses.

A future BRIN post will look at how religious groups voted in the 2015 general election, when suitable post-election data from the BES 2015 become available.

Reference

Fieldhouse, E., J. Green., G. Evans., H. Schmitt, and C. van der Eijk (2014) Preliminary British Election Study Internet Panel Wave 4.

Further reading

Clements, B. (2015), Religion and Public Opinion in Britain: Continuity and Change. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.