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Summary UK Politics paper 1: 3.1 electoral systems in the UK
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3.1 different electoral systems –Plurality system – FPTP –
FTPA 2011 – UK GEs every 5 years. 2019 – Conservatives introduced Dissolution and Calling
of Parliament Bill (power to call elections in hands of PM). Became law in 2022 – overturning
FTPA.
Key features:
- Single-member constituencies
- Plurality system
- Vote cast for a person, not a party
Effects of using FPTP –
TWO-PARTY SYSTEM –
- Winner-takes-all system - Winner can gain a whole seat with a relatively small
proportion of the vote – 2nd, 3rd, & below gain nothing at all.
- 2019 – 12 seats were won with margins of less than 1%, with 1 seat won by just 57
votes.
- Beneficial to parties that have a reasonable concentration of support in a
geographical area. – Labour urban areas & Conservative rural areas.
- Smaller parties find it difficult to compete – support often thinly spread across
UK, election campaigns costly & 2 main parties have broad ideologies.
- 2015 – UKIP gained 4 million votes nationally but only 1 seat (support thinly spread).
- Winner’s bonus – over rewarding winning party in election.
- 2019 – conservatives gained 44% of vote but 56% of seats. – due to national totals.
- Higher % of seats gained by winning party than % of vote won by the party.
Strong, single-party government –
- 1 party gains clear outright majority – form strong & stable govt.
- Pass laws with relative ease & appear unlikely to face an unexpected election.
- 2010, 2015, 2015 – notable unpredictability & relative lack of single party
dominance.
- 2015 – small tory majority
- 2010 & 2017 – Tories narrowly missed majority but still able to create working govt.
- 2019 – FPTP returned to more expected result – other 3 outliers?
Safe & marginal seats –
- Due to winner-takes-all – number of constituencies become safe seats – particular
party can almost guarantee victory in a seat – usually result of a concentration of
voters with loyalty to 1 party being grouped in 1 constituency.
- Marginal seats – voter loyalty in constituency more evenly split between parties –
likely winner hard to predict.
- Changes with each election – population change, party policy change or other factors
affecting voting behaviour.
, - 2017 & 2019 – increase in number of very safe & very marginal seats.
Advantages FPTP –
SIMPLICITY –
Simple system for voter & electoral administration.
Allows for a cost-effective election that delivers a quick & legitimate result.
Simplicity should increase turnout & reduce spoiled ballots – easily understand how
system works & why their vote matters – bigger turnout underpins legitimacy of
result.
Even if voter casts ballot for losing candidate – by taking part, consenting to use of
FPTP to elect legitimate govt.
2019 – 117,919 of around 47.5 million votes were invalid.
STRONG GOVERNMENT –
Traditionally provides a winner with clear majority.
Gives victorious party a mandate to fulfil its manifesto commitments.
Coalitions unlikely – winner doesn’t have to compromise manifesto promises without
consent of voters.
Govt can pass legislation with relative ease – make changes public voted for.
2019 - Conservatives gained 80-seat majority.
MP-CONSTITUENCY LINK –
All 650 constituencies have a local MP to represent it directly in Parliament.
Voters in constituency can have direct effect on the result in their area – MP
accountable to constituents.
MP loyal to party but also more likely to be interested in remedying local issues to
ensure their re-election.
Supports principles of representative democracy.
When Johnson was faced with criticism over parties in No. 10 during lockdown, MP
Andrew Bridgen said, ‘I’ve had lots of emails from people demanding that Boris
goes.’
CENTRIST POLICIES –
FPTP encourages two-party system – manifestos of main parties include policies that
cover the political centre in UK politics.
Policies likely to be in manifestos – popular & win them high votes.
Majority of UK is represented.
Excludes policies & electoral success of extremist parties.
2019 – L & C took 567 of 650 seats.
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