FPTP Flashcards
what is the FPTP voting system?
An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins
Advantages of FPTP
-Straightforward + simple to understand
-Delivers strong single party governance.
-Prevents extreme parties from having the legitimacy of parliamentary representation.
-No mass appetite for change.
-Winners bonus
Delivers strong single party governance exp
-There has been only 1 coalition in 79 years.
-2019 Boris Johnson got Brexit done with his 80 seat majority.
-Enables for decisive policy decisions to be made e.g. Thatcher was able to made major economic structural changes during the year of the winter of discontent.
-1945- Labour was able to introduce the NHS.
Prevents extremist parties from having representation in parl exp
2019 far right post Nigel farage achieved 0 seats in, but under a proportional system he would’ve secured 10 MPs.
BUT could be argued to be undemocratic, however it prevents the exposure of their extreme ideologies + it contradicts the values Britain holds.
No mass appetite for change exp
2011 AV referendum showed the people didn’t want a change and they were happy with the current voting system, 67% voting no.
Winners bonus exp
-Less likely there will be a hung parl
-Means the winning party won’t have to do deals that weren’t on the manifestos: avoids behind the scene deals which are undemocratic.
Disadvantages of FPTP
-In recent years FPTP has failed to deliver a strong single party governance
-An unproportionable voting system, so the number of votes you get doesn’t correlate to the number of seats you get.
-Doesn’t accurately mirror the country’s vote share.
-Is skewed and the winning party is magnified due to the winners bonus.
-Safe seats- results in wasted votes= democratic deficit + disillusionment.
-Allows losing parties to elect the winning party
Failure to deliver strong single party governance
-2010 there was a hung parliament, a coalition formed between Cons + LibDems
-2017 another hung parliament, May was propped up by confidence and supply deal with the DUP: one billion to N.Ireland. Was described as a ‘zombie parliament’ for lack of majority= little legislation passed.
Disproportionality –> safe seats + wasted votes
-2015 GE described as the most disproportionate election in UK electoral history: UKIP won 12.6% of the vote share but only secured 1 MP, whilst the SNP won 4.7% + secured 56.
-Sutton Coldfield has been a Cons safe seat for 136 years.
-In 2019, 56% of the votes were wasted which resulted in democratic deficit, no seats won
Allows losing parties to elect winning party
Nick Clegg held the fate of the UK govt in his hands in 2010 to form a govt with Brown or Cameron.
