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Summary UK Politics paper 1: 3.1 electoral systems in the UK $6.42
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Summary UK Politics paper 1: 3.1 electoral systems in the UK

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detailed study/revision notes on this area of the specification for a level politics edexcel.

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  • June 27, 2024
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  • 2023/2024
  • Summary
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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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