Representation is undermined by FPTP

Question 1

Question

Answer 1

Evaluate the view that representative democracy the UK is undermined by the representation provided by the electoral system used.

Question 2

Factors

Answer 2

• Representation in the Commons
• Tyranny of the majority.
• Wasted votes.

Question 3

Judgement

Answer 3

Representation is undermined by FPTP

Question 4

Weaker argument - representation in the Commons

Answer 4

→ FPTP system provides stability and a clear link between constituents and their representatives: according to the British election study in 2014 68% of people know their local MP’s name.
→ In PMQs and QT, MPs can raise constituency issues: for example, in July 2024, Calum Miller, raised a concern about pollution in the River Evenlode, which flows through his constituency.

Question 5

Stronger argument - representation in the Commons

Answer 5

→ 2024: Labour won 411 seats with 34% of the vote share. Reform won 5 seats with 14% of the vote share.
→ We have a two-party system in Westminster; third parties struggle to get seats.
→ In the 2017 General Election Labour received less than 1 million fewer votes than the Tories but received 55 fewer seats.

Question 6

Weaker argument - tyranny of the majority

Answer 6

→ Tyranny of the majority isn’t a problem when a strong stable government is produced: in the UK we’ve only had 1 coalition government since 1945.
→ Having a strong government means revolutionary legislation can be pushed through - Attlee and the NHS.

Question 7

Stronger argument - tyranny of the majority

Answer 7

→ 1997: Tony Blair won 418 seats with only 43% of the vote. Meaning less than half of the UK wanted him in power - 56% are left unrepresented.
→ In the 2019 General Election, 67 seats were won by a margin of 5% or less of votes cast and 12 seats were won with majorities of less than 1% of valid votes cast - therefore they would be a large portion of those constituencies who feel they don’t have a representative.
→ Under PR systems such as in Germany no portion of society is left unrepresented - 2021 the SDP won 25.7% of the vote and received 206 of the 598 seats.

Question 8

Weaker argument - wasted votes

Answer 8

→ The alternative representative systems may not waste votes but they create weak coalition governments - e.g. Olaf Scholz’s coalition has fallen apart as has Michel Barnier’s who had to resign after a vote of no confidence.

Question 9

Stronger argument - wasted votes