Party Systems

• What is it called when the British Political system is dominated by two main parties?

  Political duopoly
• What causes a political duopoly?

  The different social classes’ tendency to identify with one or the other of the main parties. (class based voting)
• Why does FPTP make it difficult for smaller parties to gain representation?

  They generally lack a concentration of support
• When can it be argued that the two party system at Westminster began to be challenged?

  In the 1980s, when the SDP was established by former Labour members and formed an electoral alliance with the Liberal party. This created a centrist party with wider potential appeal
• The decline of the Westminster duopoly was facilitated by what?

  Growing partisan dealignment as voters increasingly voted on specific issues rather than according to class
• What boosted LibDem support in 2005 election?

  LibDem leader Charles Kennedy’s consistent opposition to the Iraq War
• Why would the argument that the UK has now entered a two-and-a-half-party system at Westminster be premature?

  In 2017, the Conservative and Labour parties achieved their highest vote share (82.4 %) in any general election since 1970. Although this decreased in 2019 to 75.7%, it still gave them, because of the way in which FPTP operates, 87.2% of the seats at Westminster. In contrast, since the 2015 general election, Liberal Democrat representation has plummeted at Westminster.
• There is an argument that there is a strong presence of multiparty democracy where in the UK?

  In the devolved governments
• SNP’s significant Westminster presence would be important in a what parliament?

  Hung Parliament