electoral systems

• 1975 referendum on UK membership of the EEC

  • yes 67%
  • no 33%
• 1979 first referendum on Scottish and Welsh devolution

  • yes 51.6%
  • no 48.4%
  • turnout 63.8%

  However, 40% of the electorate had to approve and this was not achieved.
• referendum

  a vote on a single issue put to a public ballot by the government,

  they are not legally binding, only advisory measures.
• 1997 second referendum on scottish and Welsh devolution

  In wales,
• 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement

  • 71.1% yes
  • 28.9% no
  • 81% turnout
• 1998 London Mayor Referendum

  • 72% yes
  • 28% no
  • 34% turnout
• 2011 increased powers to the Welsh Assembly

  • 63.5% yes
  • 36.5% no
  • 35.4% turnout
• mandate

  an authoritative instruction, the winning party is given the authority to implement its manifesto commitments.
• influence over policy

  voicing policy preferences as each party issues a manifesto, the victorious party claims a mandate.
• representation

  a large group selects a smaller group to make decisions on their behalf
• accountability

  individual MPs are held accountable for actions and can be removed if electorate are unhappy with their actions
• manifesto

  a document where a political party sets out its political programme at each election
• legitimacy

  political actions and systems that are based on the consent of the people and follow the agreed laws and procedures.
• elite recruitment

  parties nominate candidates and provide them with campaign resources in exchange for loyal MPS.
• citizen education

  citizens are provided with information from campaigns to make informed decisions on what most benefits them
• participation

  voting is a key expression for many citizens
• general elections

  every 5 years, but can be called early

  all 650 MPs are elected to the house of commons
• devolved elections

  every 4 years

  Scottish Parliament, Stormont and Senedd, the 2020 elections were postponed until 2021
• local elections

  fixed four year terms, some authorities elect all councillors at the same time and others every 3 months.
• by-elections

  when an MP dies, resigns, commits a crime or 10% of the electorate sign a petion
• free and fair

  competitive, meaningful choice

  free, including the press, association and speech

  fair, one person one vote
• Boundary Commision - every 8-12 years

  • Due to an influx of Londoners, Reading will have 3MPs instead of 2 from 2023
  • 2023 - England will gain 10 seats, Scotland will loose 8 and Wales will loose 2
• Olivia Blake, Labour MP, won Sheffield Hallam in 2019 with 34.6%
• Alistair McDonnell, SDLP, won Belfast South in 2015 by 24.5%
• constituency sizes (2019 GE)

  Isle of Wight - 113,021 registered voters

  Na h-Eileanan an Iar - 21,106
• Safe Seat

  Liberal Walton (84.7% in 2017)
• North East Fife was won by SNP by only 2 votes in 2017

  Kensington was won in 2017 by Labour by 20 votes and by the conservatives in 2019 by 150 votes