FPTP

Question 1

What is FPTP?

Answer 1

A simple plurality electoral system where the person with the highest number of votes is elected

Question 2

Where is it used?

Answer 2

General and local elections in England and Wales

Question 3

List it’s key features

Answer 3

1) small, single member constituencies
2) winner takes all based on plurality
3) voting is simple as you place an x next to your chosen candidate
4) voters get one vote for one candidate

Question 4

What is the average adult population per constituency?

Answer 4

75,000

Question 5

Griffith won for the conservatives with what percentage of the vote?

Answer 5

58

Question 6

Crowley won for the SNP with what percentage of the vote?

Answer 6

42

Question 7

How many MPs won by an absolute majority

Answer 7

319

Question 8

How many MPs secured a seat with less than 40% of the vote

Answer 8

50

Question 9

List the pros

Answer 9

1) simple as voters understand what they’re voting for
2) close constituency MP bond
3) keeps extremist parties out
4) produces a majority in the commons
5) traditional as it has been used throughout British history

Question 10

List the cons

Answer 10

1) gives an advantage to parties with concentrated support
2) favours larger parties
3) winners bonus means that the winning party is overrepresented. The conservatives won 56% of seats with 43% of votes
4) failed to deliver a decisive majority in the three elections before 2019

Question 11

What was the SNPs seat to vote ratio?

Answer 11

7.4% from 3.9%

Question 12

What was the Line Dems seat to vote ratio?

Answer 12

1.7% from 11.5%

Question 13

Where is conservative support concentrated?

Answer 13

The rural south

Question 14

Where is Labour support concentrated?

Answer 14

Urban regions

Question 15

List the votes per seat of the 4 major parties

Answer 15

SNP - 26,000
Conservatives - 38,000
Labour - 50,000
Lib Dems - 336,000
Green 866,000

Question 16

Why does the winner have no interest in reform?

Answer 16

Because it had just secured them a victory

Question 17

What is a safe seat?

Answer 17

One where the incumbent has a considerable majority over the closest candidate and is largely immune to swings in voting choice. The same political party retains the seat from election to election

Question 18

How many seats were safe in 2019 according to the ERS

Answer 18

319

Question 19

List the implications of safe seats

Answer 19

1) parties pay less attention so they receive less information
2) MPs are less accountable for their actions
3) votes are wasted regardless of whether you support the winning or losing party
4) Votes are not of equal value
5) ERS estimated that 70.8% of votes were not decisive and so effectively wasted

Question 20

What is a minority seat

Answer 20

A seat where the incumbent has a small majority or plurality of the vote. It is generally agreed that they are seats where the result is in doubt and they change between parties frequently.

Question 21

In how many seats did the winner win by less than 10%

Answer 21

141

Question 22

What are the implications of marginal seats?

Answer 22

1) parties concentrate their efforts there so they receive much more attention and information
2) votes are more valuable and influential
3) individuals leaders matter more
4) many use tactical voting to block a party they dislike

Question 23

Who supports FPTP

Answer 23

Conservatives and Labour, as it is currently working for them

Question 24

Who opposes FPTP?

Answer 24

Pressure groups like the electoral reform society and unlock democracy. Even the SNP support reform, despite being major beneficiaries

Question 25

List arguements in favour

Answer 25

1) easy to understand
2) produces clear results
3) result is known quickly
4) MP constituency bond
5) individual MPs can be easily held to account
6) produces a single party majority with a clear mandate
7) prevents extremist parties breaking in
8) abandoning it would be a dangerous risk that could bring unintended consequences
9) the 2011 AV referendum decisively rejected change

Question 26

List arguements against

Answer 26

1) outcome is disproportionate
2) votes are effectively wasted in electoral deserts
4) votes for certain parties can be worth less, like UKIP in 2015
5) tactical voting can cause voters to abandon the party they support
6) prevents smaller parties breaking in so causes political inertia
7) the winning party hasn’t had a majority of votes since 1945. Conservatives won in 2015 despite 63.1% of voters not voting for them
8) failed to deliver a majority in 2010 and 2017

Question 27

What is the main case for fptp being easier for voters to understand, and what is the main caveat to this argument?

Answer 27

The general election has a higher turnout than any other type of election. However, the fact that the general election is seen by many as being the most important should be taken into consideration

Question 28

What is the only country that saw an increase in between 2015 and 2019, and what system does this country use?

Answer 28

Scotland, using their AMS

Question 29

What was the average DV score for Westminster elections between 1997 and 2015 and what did this radically fall to in 2017?

Answer 29

22.5%, which fell to 9.3%