3.1, 3.3- electoral systems

Question 1

Give an example of when a minority party was under-represented in a general election

Answer 1

• 2019 lib dems got 11.5% of the votes and 1.7% of the seats
• in 2015, the Greens got 3.8% of the vote and 0.2% of the seats

Question 2

compare the 2019 and 2021 results in Scotland to show the impact of concentrated support

Answer 2

• 2019 SNP got 45% of the vote and 81% of the seats
• 2021 SNP got 44% of the vote and just under 50% of the seats

Question 3

What percentage of seats are safe seats

Answer 3

56% of seats

Question 4

turnout in 2001

Answer 4

59% turnout

Question 5

in 2019 what % of votes were for a losing candidate

Answer 5

56.3%

Question 6

What was the turnout in Manchester Central in 2019

Answer 6

55.1%

Question 7

give examples where FPTP has been unable to deliver a strong majority

Answer 7

2017- confidence and supply between conc and DUP
2010- coalition between lib dems and conc

Question 8

in 2019 what % of voters voted tactically? - you gov poll

Answer 8

32% of voters voted tactically

Question 9

how likely is further electoral reform?

Answer 9

• unlikely to be supported by the two main parties because it benifits them

Question 10

what were the results of the 2011 AV referendum?

Answer 10

• 32% of voters, voted for the implementation of AV
• on a 42% turnout

Question 11

what is the criteria by which to judge electoral systems?

Answer 11

• voter choice
• representation
• strength of the link between voter and representative
• type government that results
• complexity

Question 12

what are the benifits of FPTP?

Answer 12

• very simlistic and allows governments to form very quickly
• produces single party governments, two party government provides clear choice
• 2 party system provides a clear alternative ensuring accountability
• exclusion of extremist parties (lack of concentrated support)
• strong MP constituency link

Question 13

how long did it take after the 2007 scottish parliament election to form a government? how does this compare to FPTP

Answer 13

• it took 2 weeks
• after the 1997 election, Tony Blair was in downing street at 1 pm the day after polling day

Question 14

give two examples of governments who were able to implement significant change due to the strong mandate provided by FPTP.

Answer 14

• Thatcher (taxation and deregulation) and Tony Blair (constitutional reform)

Question 15

Give an example of a right wing party who have struggled to gain support under FPTP and compare this to a country with a more proportional system (germany).

Answer 15

• UKIP consistently fails to get seats
• AFD (alternative for germany), on a simiar point of the politcal spectrum has found success under a more proportional system

Question 16

how may seats did the brexit party win in the 2019 European parliament elections?

Answer 16

29 seats, most seats of any party

Question 17

what are the key disadvantages under FPTP?

Answer 17

• lack of representation in constituencies: only requires a plurality
• lack of representation on a national level: rewards concentrated support, wasted votes due to lack of reallocation, winners bonus
• limited voter choice: no ranking and two party system/ tactical voting
• votes are of different value due to safe and marginal seats, lack of focus on safe seats
• strong govts lead to an ‘elective dictatorship’

Question 18

give an example of an mp winning their constituency with a very low vote share.

Answer 18

• 2015
• the mp for belfast south (alasdair macdonnel) won the constituency with
• 24.5% of the vote

Question 19

how does AMS ensure better representation?

Answer 19

• uses a second ‘party list vote’ to correct the disproportionality of the intial FPTP vote- representation at a national level
• increased choice as individuals get to case two ballots

Question 20

what are the benifits of AMS?

Answer 20

• maintains the MP constituency link
• greater voter choice, two votes
• less tactical voting
• party list ensures proportionality

Question 21

what are the costs of AMS?

Answer 21

• creates two different types of member, some with constituencies some without - not all members have an MP constituency link
• a closed list system is used for the party list, this gives too much power to party leaders
• in smaller areas AMS is less proportional due to insufficient top up seats (20 in waleas)
• more minority and coalition governments

Question 22

how many governments, since the scottish parliament was created have been majority governments?

Answer 22

• 1 out of the 6 governments was a majority

Question 23

what are the advantages of STV?

Answer 23

• most proportional system
• most voter choice, due to ranking, they are able to choose between different parties and members within parties
• created power sharing governments in northern ireland, helped to create a peace
• link is less important as MPs represent communities more than geographical areas
• MPs work harder for votes in safe seats

Question 24

what are the disadvantages of STV?

Answer 24

• weaker member constituency link (5 members)
• more power sharing
• counting and understanding votes is complex

Question 25

In 2007 in Scotland, how many ballots were filled out incorrectly?

Answer 25

146,000

Question 26

what was the turnout in the 2021 welsh parliament elections?

Answer 26

46.6%

Question 27

how did jeremy hunt argue the benifits of a strong mp constituency link?

Answer 27

• “holds ones feet over the fire”

Question 28

how did the swing in conservative vote share compare to their swing in seats in 2019?

Answer 28

• 1.2% incease in votes
• 48 more seats

Question 29

what % of the vote did the conservative govt have in 2015?

Answer 29

35%

Question 30

give a recent example of the instability of coalitions.

Answer 30

• break down of the SNP - green coalition
• greens criticizes the SNP abandoning climate targets