First Past the Post

Question 1

What is First Past the Post?

Answer 1

The winning candidate is simply the person who wins the most votes.

Question 2

Where is FPTP commonly found?

Answer 2

In the UK and countries influenced by British rule.

Question 3

What are the advantages of FPTP?

Answer 3

• it provides a clear cut choice between two parties
• it gives rise to single party governments
• it gives rise to a chorent parliamentary opposition
• it benefits broadly-based political parties
• it excludes extremist parties from parliamentary representation
• it retains the link between constituencies and the MP’
• it holds local MP’s accountable to the constituency
• it allows votes to choose between people, rather than just parties
• gives chance to popular independent candidate to be elected
• simple and easy to understand

Question 4

What are the disadvantages of FPTP?

Answer 4

• Excluding minority parties from fair representatives
• Excluding minorities from fair represenation
• Excluding women from parliament
• Leaving a large no of wasted votes
• Being unresponsive to changes in public opinion
• Open to the mainpulation of Electoral Boundaries