PR and FPTP

Question 1

FPTP simple

Answer 1

• Simple means good turnout, Minister for the Constitution and Devolution (Chloe Smith) said SV used in metro mayoral elections was confusing so reduced turnout. 2019 67.3% general election turnout vs 46% Welsh Parliament 2021
  o No – 2021 Scot Parliament 63.5% too
  o No – London Mayor election went FPTP and dropped from 42.2% in 2021 to 40.5% in 2024

Question 2

FPTP no fringe parties

Answer 2

• Hard to get third parties: last no ConLab leader was David Lloyd George who left office in 1922. Fringe parties disinsentivised: Tees Valley 2024 mayoral election only Tory, Lab and Lib Dems stood.
  o No, third parties are fine. 2010 coalition (got them AV ref and gov seats), 2017 DUP deal (got them £1billion for NI), Workers Party win Rochdale by-election 2024, Reform UK poll 3rd largest and have seat through Lee Anderson defection. Also have influence without many seats, like UKIP, due to risk of vote share split for major parties.

Question 3

FPTP strong governments

Answer 3

• Makes strong governments: winners’ bonus – 1997 43% -> 64%, got big constitutional reform passed and introduced a minimum wage, 2019 43% -> 56%, got Brexit done.
  o But not always: LibCon coalition 2010, May minority gov with confidence and supply deal with DUP failed to pass Brexit 3 times

Question 4

FPTP unrepresentative

Answer 4

• Unrepresentative: vote split across country can harm party (often second). Safe seat votes less valuable than swing seat votes. UKIP 12.6% of vote in 2015 but 1 seat, Sinn Fein 0.6% of vote in 2019 but 7 seats.
  o However improves representation. Concentrated support means more in local area support same person so can be represented by that person. Sinn Fein although 0.6% in 2019 of national vote had 22.8% of NI vote so represent them well.

Question 5

PR accurate representation

Answer 5

• PR allows for more accurate representation
  o 2022 NI Assembly Sinn Fein 27 seats 29%, DUP 25 seats 21%
  o Green party game system in London Assembly – get 3 seats from 11.6% of vote, Sian Berry gives position to Zoe Garbett.
  o Difficult in Westminster, need to elect MPs who represent an area, not country

Question 6

PR better for 3rd parties

Answer 6

• PR allows for more accurate representation
  o 2022 NI Assembly Sinn Fein 27 seats 29%, DUP 25 seats 21%
  o Green party game system in London Assembly – get 3 seats from 11.6% of vote, Sian Berry gives position to Zoe Garbett.
  o Difficult in Westminster, need to elect MPs who represent an area, not country
• Better for 3rd parties
  o NI: Sinn Fein, DUP, TUV, UUP, SDLP, Alliance all got seats in 2022
  o In EU Parliament 2019 Have Brexit Party with 29 seats (a 3rd party in Westminster elections)
  o AMS in Scotland makes green/SNP coalition
  o However, systems can become dominated, just dominated by different parties. AMS - Scotland SNP since 2007, SNP majority in 2011. Also Westminster dominant party continues to dominate in other electoral systems, Labour set to win in Scotland in next election, Welsh assembly has been Labour lead since creation in 1999, Sadiq Khan won London Mayoral elections both when it was SV and now as FPTP

Question 7

PR less effective governance

Answer 7

• Governance is less effective
  o STV in Northern Ireland, Stormont didn’t sit February 2022-Jan 2024. Scotland SNP and Green Bute House Agreement collapse May 2024.
  o However, maybe still pretty good: Scotland pass local laws like free tuition fees, smoking ban 2006, got an indyRef in 2014 due to majority in 2011. Wales free prescriptions, reduced tuition fees (9k).