Evaluate the View that FPTP should be retained as the main electoral system of England
(30)
Intro:
● FPTP is a plurality system, in which the candidate who receives the most votes, wins the
election.
● Although it can be said that FPTP leads to strong and stable government, and is a good
way of electing parliamentary members, It is much more convincing to say that FPTP
should not be retained as the main electoral system of England, due to problems of
Marginal Seats, disproportionality, and the outdated idea that FPTP will always lead to
strong and stable government.
Topic Yes - FPTP should be Retained No - FPTP should not be retained M.
E
Strong and ● FPTP promotes 2 party system, ● Outdated idea that FPTP leads to
Stable which gives voters clear choice strong government
Government ● Gives clear majority during ● Eg. Gov of John Major (1997), where
elections, which allows the party to his premiership was blighted by
have an electoral mandate to carry tensions in Tory Party over Europe,
out it’s policies where some MPs were upset he had
● Eg. Thatcher, and her massive signed a treaty that gave more power
majority allowed her to undertake to Europe, and less to Parliament
her plans to curb trade union power - Meant that conservatives
and privatization in the 1980s. themselves were in a bitter
inparty fight, with C seeming
to be more interested in
rowing amongst themselves,
rather than governing.
Produces a ● FPTP produces a clear winner at ● Disproportionality - Often the winning
Clear Winner GE. One party usually gets a party does not get a majority in the
majority, with the party being able popular vote.
to form a government on it’s own. - Eg. 2015 when the
● Often a two-party system, where Conservative party won with
one of the two parties wins the only 43% of the popular
election, which gives that party an vote.
electoral mandate to carry out it’s - 2001 Labour winning a
manifesto commitments. majority of 166 seats with only
● If there is discontent with a party, 41% of the vote
they can be voted out in the next
election
- Eg. Thatcher’s election in
1979 gave her the electoral
mandate to carry out her
proposals to curb union
powers etc.
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