democracy in scotland

• Ways people can participate in election campaigns

  • Leafleting/ posters
  • Canvassing
  • Loud speaker cars
  • Driving people to polling station
  • Supporting candidates at meetings
• Putting up posters and handing out party leaflets

  1. Advertising the candidate

  2. Showing your support
• Canvassing


  1. Going round the doors trying to identify your support

  2. Encouraging them to turnout to vote on election day

  3. Offering supporters a lift to the polling station
• Driving round the area in a car with a loud speaker

  1. Urging people to vote for the candidate and the party

  2. Advertising the candidate

  3. Reminding supporters to vote
• Ways people can participate in politics

  • Voting
  • Joining a political party / Pressure Group
  • Standing as a candidate
  • Campaigning
  • Attending political meetings
  • Watching election Broadcasts / reading election leaflets
• Voting


  1. Having a say in selecting your elected representatives

  2. Voting for your local constituency MSP

  3. Voting for the party of your choice
• Joining a political party


  • As a party member, you can attend party meetings, express your opinions and help to shape party policy
  • You can help the candidates in an election campaign or perhaps be chosen as a candidate yourself in the future
• You can participate in an election campaign (see previous answer)
• MSP speaking in a debate in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament

  1. Acting as the "voice of his constituents"

  2. Bringing to the attention of parliament, the concerns that his constituents have told him about
• MSP asking a question at Question Time

  1. Submitting a question that requires only a written response

  2. Submitting a question that requires the Minister to answer in Parliament

  3. Raising a question that has been a matter of concern to their constituents
• MSPs introducing a members' bill

  1. Proposed law that is introduced by an MSP and not the government

  2. Introducing a bill on a matter of great concern to himself or as a result of representation by a Pressure Group
• Women are often under-represented


  • Family responsibilities
  • Constituencies often reluctant to select female candidates
  • Women don't like the "rough and tumble " of politics
  • Lack of role models
• Ethnic minorities are under-represented


  • Perceived prejudice in selection process
  • Parliament still "white"
  • Poorer education of BMEs and therefore lack of political engagement
  • Few Role Models
  • Cultural / religious obstacles
• Women finding it difficult to get involved politically for family reasons

  1. Women are still seen as the main carers in the family

  2. Difficulty attending political meetings held in the evenings
• Local constituency parties are often reluctant to select a female candidate

  Due to prejudice
• To overcome this problem, we have seen "all female" short lists introduced
• Until recently, there have been few role models to inspire women in politics


  This may have put women off in the past
• Now, however, Lamont and Davidson are leaders of Scottish political parties
• Family friendly or normal working day hours of Holyrood


  Encouraged greater female participation
• Longer hours of Westminster

  Put many women off becoming MPs
• Most MSPs are within normal travelling distance of Edinburgh
• London is 400 miles away and Scots have to stay in London


  Puts many women off because of family responsibilities
• The Scottish Parliament has crèche facilities

  To help working mothers
• Westminster has no such facilities
• The voting system of the Scottish Parliament, AMS

  • Has a proportional element
  • PR systems tend to encourage parties to put more female candidates forward
• Westminster uses FPTP


  Is not known for encouraging more female candidates
• The "new politics" of the Scottish Parliament

  Consensus politics appears more attractive to women than the confrontational "ya-boo" politics of Westminster
• If you don't vote


  You cannot complain about the result
• Failure to vote


  Might allow extremist parties to win seats
• A democracy only works properly if people participate

  If they don't, only extremists will stand for election and vote
• By not voting


  We are disrespecting the memory of those who struggled to obtain the vote
• AMS


  • The number of MSPs each party gains is in proportion to the vote
  • Smaller parties have a greater chance of representation
  • More choice : vote for candidate and party (2 votes)
  • More chance of electing women or BME candidates under PR system
• Disadvantages of AMS


  • Too many -120 is a top heavy system
  • Two-tier system : constituency and List MSPs
  • More complex voting system –difficult to understand
  • Retention of FPTP element still allows certain parties to dominate
• Advantages of STV


  • No wasted votes. Votes are reallocated
  • Smaller parties have greater chance of gaining representation
  • Larger parties are less likely to dominate
  • Greater choice for voter : vote between and within parties
  • Several elected representatives to contact –more choice
  • STV encourages more women and ethnic minorities
  • STV more likely to result in coalitions forcing parties to work together
• Advantages of FPTP


  • Simple and easy to understand
  • Delivers quick results
  • Fair – candidate with most votes wins
  • Each constituent has a personal link with single constituency MP
  • No confusion over who to contact as with multi-member constituencies
  • Usually provides a clear winner nationally, allowing one party to form a strong government without need to make deals as is the case with coalitions
• The Scottish Parliament passing laws on devolved issues


  Creating a National Police Force and a National Fire and Rescue Service for Scotland
• The Scottish Parliament passing laws on health issues

  Banning smoking in public places to reduce the effects of passive smoking and to encourage people to give up smoking
• The Scottish Parliament discussing issues of concern to the Scottish electorate


  Expressing the concerns of the Scottish people on issues such as the "bedroom tax"
• The Scottish Parliament scrutinising the work of the Scottish Government

  MSPs holding Ministers to account over their departmental spending or actions
• People want increased powers for the Scottish Parliament


  Too many important matters on issues that Scots have strong feelings about are still reserved to Westminster