Electoral reform

• 1 argument for FPTP (1)

  1. FOR- tends to produce a string and stable government/ constituency- 2019 MP Phillip stood in solidarity with teachers after teaching about LGBTQ- 2019 GE provided a clear win (80% majority) due to uncertainty about BREXIT
• 1 argument against FPTP (1)

  1. AGAIST - delivers disproportional results - 2015 Green and UKIP voters were disfranchised because they only won 1 seat- discriminates against parties that are spread across the country and favors concentration- forces tactical voting - most governments do not get a majority of the electorate(2005,2010,2015- the winning party failed to achieve 40% of the popular vote)
• Argument for FPTP(2)


  SV does not solve all the problems of FPTP:

  minor parties still have a chance of wining

  Labor and conservatives candidates have only ever gone through the second round of counting in London Mayor elections ( except Ken Livingstone 2000)

  Tactical voting is still used
• Arguments agaist FPTP(2)


  SV wastes fewer votes:

  Many green party voters chose Khan as their second choice in the 2016 Mayor elections - the support proved decisive after Khans eventual victory- voters knew their second preference counted even if their first one didn't

  SV ensures that the least hated wins as they need over 50% to win
• Arguments in favor for keeping FPTP (3)


  AMS fail to give a once party decisive majority :

  SNP is now running on a minority government - they don't have the majority of seat

  Labor is running a minority government in Wales- they do not have 50% they need support from other parties to get measure through parliament
• Arguments to get rid of FPTP (3)

  1. AMS allows smaller parties a chance to influence decisions making:
  2. Lib Dems have frequently participated in government in Scotland and Wales
  3. coalitions have been relatively stable- all have all lasted a long time
  4. AMS- retains the constituency link- since 2/3 of seats are retained by FPTP
• Arguments for FPTP(4)


  STV- can lead to confusion and gridlock:

  • between 2017 and 2020 in NI neither the Fein or the DUP were able to form a coalition - England had to propose a budget on the province
  • STV has broken the link between single representatives and their constituencies, as STV involves creating a large constituencies and have several representatives
• Arguments against FPTP (4)

  • requires the sharing of power between different parties - resulting in " grown up" politics
  • model for a country that is divided over Brexit and where there are a number of nations and regions attempting to retain their identity
  • Having a large constituencies with a number of representatives means that the whole community of served - EXAMPLE: Labor MP might take up different issues in a constituents from a conservative
  • voters have a wide range of choice