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Summary UK politics paper 1: 3.3 electoral system analysis
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detailed study/revision notes on thsi area of the specification for a level politics edexcel.
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3.3 electoral system analysis –Impact of UK electoral systems –
Impact on govts & type of govt –
Proportional systems – led to more coalition or minority govts formed when used.
(NI because of Good Friday Agreement so exception).
Scotland & Wales have had coalitions, but also achieved majority govts using
proportional system.
Given that AMS created a strong, single-party govt – fuelled discussions over
whether systems like AMS could replace FPTP.
- Wales & Scotland legislate successfully over their own regions – both pressed for
further power to be devolved to them (as seen in subsequent Scotland and Wales
Acts).
- For Wales – gaining primary legislative powers & changing from ‘conferred matters’
model (make law only on policy areas it had been given) to ‘reserved matters’ model
(has been used in Scotland & allowed it to make laws on anything not ‘reserved’ for
westminster parliament).
- For Scotland – pressure for independence & referendum. Outcome initially quelled
this pressure BUT Brexit referendum result (Scotland as a nation voted ‘remain’)
reignited issue of Scottish independence.
Govts created proven to be stable.
NI exception – issues less to do with electoral system & more to do with historical
tensions.
Impact on parties & party systems –
Number of parties successfully competing in elections & forming govts increased
because of proportional systems.
In Wales, Scotland & NI, nationalist or unionist parties (SNP, Plaid Cymru, DUP, Sinn
Fein) have gained influence & been able to be part of govts in their countries /
provinces.
Systems also allowed success for other parties –
- Conservatives performed poorly in Scotland since Thatcher.
- Under AMS, they have been able to pick up seats – 2nd largest party in Scottish
parliament.
- AMS allowed conservatives’ widely spread support to be translated into seats at
regional level.
- (though still perform less well at constituency level in Scotland).
Some devolved bodies – arguably smaller parties over-represented.
- 2007 – SNP won 47 seats 7 Labour won 46. SNP agreement with Greens (2 seats)
allowed SNP to form minority govt.
- Small parties – ‘king-makers’ – like role of Lib Dems in 2010 – exercise power far
beyond that which their electoral success suggests.
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