FPTP Essay Stats

Question 1

How many hung parliaments since start of 20th cent

Answer 1

6

Question 2

Size of thatcher and blairs majorities

Answer 2

T 144 in 1983

B 179 in 1997

Question 3

How long did it take belgoun to form a gov in 2010 under proportional system

Answer 3

541 days

Question 4

Examples of effective legislation due to strong gov

Answer 4

Thatcher privitisation of things like BT
Blair devolution acts of 1998 and HoL reform 1999
Johnson getting brexit passed in Dec 2019 which may failed to do between 2017-19 due to lack of maj

Question 5

Example of ‘elective dictatorship’ (lord hailsham)

Answer 5

2003 Iraq invasion goes ahead despite roughly 2 million protestors and the rebellion of 139 Labour MPs

Question 6

Trend in strength of recent parliaments

Answer 6

Becoming weaker under FPTP just 2 of last 4 have been majs and camerons in 2015 was just 12

Question 7

Strength of gov under AMS

Answer 7

7 of last 11 elections in Scotland and wales produced either maj or min govs rather than hung

Question 8

4 examples of FPTP not being proportional

Answer 8

2015 UKIP get 12.5% of vote but 1 seat
2015 Cons get 37% of vote but 51% of seats
2017 Lib dems get 7.4% but 12 seats
2017 lib dem get 3% but 35 seats

Question 9

How many votes wasted across last 4 NI elections due to STVs complicated nature

Answer 9

40,000

Question 10

Why are many votes wasted under FPTP even though they are technically counted? (2 reasons)

Answer 10

Mps often elected with small % of vote in that seat. E.g. Alisdair Mcdonnel with just 24.5% in 2015. This means 75.5% of the votes in that seat are meaningless.

Safe seat so people dont vote and therefore their voice isnt heard e.g. Chipping Barnet has voted con since it was created in 1974

Question 11

Clear example of tactical voting (which restricts voter choice)

Answer 11

2017 Lib Dem Bury North candidate told people to vote Labour to stop the Conservatives