Essay: Evaluate the extent to which the UK still has a two party system

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

1. FPTP - Ev: coalition, UKIP
2. Impact of devolution - AMS and STV
   3.

Question 2

Intro

Answer 2

• Define - two party system - compete for power at elections; other parties have no real chance of breaking their monopoly
• The dominance of the Conservative and Labour has been seen since before the Second World War - the classic period was 1945-74 - won, on average, a combined 91% of the votes and almost 98% of the seats at Westminster - came under strain in the 1970s
• Therefore, debates have arisen about whether the UK still has a two party system in today’s politics

Question 3

P1 - FPTP - UK no longer has a two party system

Answer 3

• Minority labour governments in 1970s - followed by 2 long periods of single party dominance - Conservatives from 1979 to 1997 and Labour rom 1997 to 2010
• Liberals made modest gains, especially after alliance w/ Social Democrats in 1981 - formed Lib Dems in 1988
• Between 1979 and 2010 - 2 main parties’ combined average share of the vote fell to 73%
• Period of coalition govt (2010-15) - could be described as a two-and-a-half-party system - Lib Dems secured 23% of the vote in 2010 and enough seats to play a part in govt
• Almost 35% of voters supported parties other than the Conservatives and Labour in this election
• SNP in 2015 - 56 of 59 in Westminster

Question 4

P2 - FPTP - UK still has a two party system

Answer 4

• The distorting effect of the FPTP system still limits smaller parties’ ability to win seats
• One party dominance seen in the late 20th century was temporary and still suggests that the UK still has a two party system
• Coalition was also a short-lived development - Lib Dems devastated at the polls in 2015
• Scotland - SNP is a regional party - not a contender for power at Westminster

Question 5

P3 - devolution - UK not longer has two party system