Our research note (joint with M. Klymak) entitled “Partisan Pandemic in the UK: Individual views and mobility during Covid-19“ has just been accepted at the European Journal of Political Research.

The article asks what is the association between partisanship and individual views as well as behaviours towards the Covid-19 pandemic? We explore how and why there might be differences between distinct voter groups. The article addresses this question empirically using two datasets collected before and during pandemic: a daily survey covering nearly 100,000 individuals and county level mobility matched to UK 2019 general election results.

Our findings show that partisanship is strongly correlated with differences in both individual views and behaviours. Conservative voters were less likely to perceive Covid-19 as dangerous and to stay home during the national lockdown. The effect of the national lockdown on mobility was negative and statistically significant only in less Conservative counties.

Thus, partisanship is associated with pandemic-related individual views and behaviours even when there is broad consensus among main political parties and the government about nature of public health problem and appropriate solution to the pandemic.