Evaluate the view that the various electoral systems in the UK make significant differences to party representation.

Question 1

Introduction - Themes

Answer 1

• Westminster
• Scotland
• Nothern Ireland

Question 2

Introduction - Argument

Answer 2

Different electoral systems in the UK does mean that different parties are able to emerge, however, all electoral systems still mean that certain parties hold a lot more dominance than others

Question 3

Westminster - Disagree - Point

Answer 3

The First-Past-the-Post system used for elections to the Westminster Parliament does not always result in the domination of the Conservative and Labour Party

Question 4

Westminster - Disagree - Examples

Answer 4

• From 2010-2015, the Conservatives were in a coalition government with the Lib Dems - they were able to have massive impact on policy
• In 2017, Theresa May was forced to enter a confidence-and-supply agreeement with the DUP

Question 5

Westminster - Agree - Point

Answer 5

The general trend for many years has shown that it is the Conservative and Labour Parties which dominates in Westminster, it is due to FPTP that other parties struggle to gain representation

Question 6

Westminster - Agree - Examples

Answer 6

• Apart from the coalition, since 1945, there has always been either a Labour or a Conservative government - illustrates a strong two-party system
• In the 2019 general election, the Liberal Democrats recieved 11.5% of the votes, but only 1.7% of the seats in Westminster

Question 7

Scotland - Disagree - Point

Answer 7

Elections to the Scottish Parliament use the Additional Member System which combines FPTP with a PR system. This system means that alternative parties from the Conservatives and Labour prevail

Question 8

Scotland - Disagree - Examples

Answer 8

• The Scottish National Party is the biggest party in the Scottish Parliament, holding 63 of the 129 seats avaliable
• This is different to the seats in Westminster as the SNP only has 48 seats out of 650

Question 9

Scotland - Agree - Point

Answer 9

The AMS does not produce that much of a different demographic from Westminster as it would first appear

Question 10

Scotland - Agree - Examples

Answer 10

• The parties that are second to the SNP are the Conservatives and the Labour Party who gained 24% and 18.6% of the seats respectively
• The SNP, like the Conservatives and Labour, have dominated since 2007. This means AMS system still reinforces the dominance of a few major parties

Question 11

Northern Ireland - Disagree - Point

Answer 11

The usage of Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland has meant that there are different parties from the Labour and Conservative Party which dominates their elections

Question 12

Northern Ireland - Disagree - Examples

Answer 12

• All the major parties in the Northern Irish Assembly are ones which do not dominate in Westminster - DUP, Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionists
• This differs from Westminster where the Northern Irish parties, namely the DUP and Sinn Fein, hold 15 seats together

Question 13

Northern Ireland - Agree - Point

Answer 13

The reasoning for the emergence of different parties is not to do with the Single Transferable Vote system. It is also not different from Westminster as there is a clear dominance of certain parties

Question 14

Northern Ireland - Agree - Examples

Answer 14

• The DUP and Sinn Fein are the two parties which dominate the Northern Irish Assembly, so STV still produces are largely two party system
• Northern Ireland largely has its own party system due to the history of the country rather than the STV system