democratic legitimacy

• low turnout - turnout in general elections and by elections are steadily in decline

  • 76% in 1979 to 67.3% in 2019
  • Blackpool south By - election with 32.5% turnout
  • Electorate not voting - voter apathy - undermines legitimacy and mandate
• turnout in referendums shows that voters vote when they care

  • Scottish referendum - 82% turnout
  • re-engage voters into political participation - countering voter apathy
• low membership in parties.

  • 1983 - 3.8% were in political party - reflecting strong participation
  • party activists reflected a reasonable proportion of society
  • less than 1% of the country are members of a party - cons 1.5 million to 150,000 - disillusionment
• political representation is increasing through modern forms of participation

  • 10 parties in parliament - great range of manifestos
  • £3 labour membership make it easier to join parties - while funding the party in campaigns - gives you power to vote in party leaders
  • Reform party gained major popularity through TikTok and social media - capturing conservative voters who had a salient issue on Brexit
• demoractic pluralism

  • pluralism is the idea that for every idea there is a counter leading to a impartial voiced community
  • Using pressure groups like extinction rebellion and media like BBC who legally have to be impartial
• FPTP ensures that the two party system isn't possible to succeed, have to be in the centre of political stage

  • excluding radical opinions
  • insulate UK is a pressure group and argues that the political system can't deliver
  • media is increasingly controlled by rich corporates and the critics is the mainstream media - can create an echo chamber