First Past the Post is also a simple system to understand.
Each voter in UK elections gets one vote, and they vote for the candidate that they want to represent them. The candidate with the most votes then wins the seat, and the party with the most seats forms the government.
Voter Choice and Accessibility - REBUTTAL
However, the use of FPTP often encourages voters to vote tactically.
This is when voters decide to vote for a different party to prevent their opposition from winning the election.
Voter Choice and Accessibility - REBUTTAL (EXAMPLE & ANALYSIS)
This was highlighted in a YouGov poll conducted prior to the 2024 General Election – finding that one in five voters were planned to vote tactically.
This shows that the results of elections conducted using First Past the Post, do not effectively reflect the public’s views.
Voter Choice and Accessibility - EVALUATION
Therefore, whilst it is a simple system to understand, FPTP encourages voters to vote tactically which leads to a parliament, and government, that does not represent the views of the public, and therefore it is an ineffective electoral system.
