Disadvanatges

• not all voters get the representative they want- FPTP system has made smaller parties under represented by parliament
• Minority groups might still find that their concerns are unmet- MPs voted down proposed amendments to the bill authorising withdrawal from the EU in 2020 which would've protected child refugees
• politicians can be incompetent and corrupt- Former cabinet minister chris Hunhe was found guilty of perverting the court of justice
• political parties are dominated by individuals pursuing their own agendas- after claiming that there wasn't no magic money tree for public services in the 2017 general election May signed a deal with DUP promisisng 1 billion investment for NI in return for party support in the HOC
• representatives do not always do what the people want and may just do what they want- Lib Dems MPs had signed a pledge not to raise tuition fees after the 2010 general election but subsequently voted to do so
• • Representatives can act in two ways:– As delegates, they follow what voters want.– As trustees, they use their own judgement to decide what’s best.
  • Problem: If voters expect their MP to follow their views (delegate), but the MP acts as a trustee and chooses differently, the public may feel misrepresented.

  example- Brexit Votes (2016–2019):Some MPs voted to remain in the EU or support a second referendum, even though their constituencies voted to leave.→ Many voters felt their MPs were ignoring the "will of the people", leading to criticism and even some MPs losing their seats in the 2019 general election.
• • Parliament may not reflect the people:– Only 7% of the UK is privately educated, but 29% of MPs are.– This shows a lack of descriptive representation (shared backgrounds).
  • Substantive representation can still happen:– Example: David Cameron, who isn't gay, supported legalising gay marriage.
  • To truly represent, Parliament should aim for both types of representation.
• Self-interest Representatives may choose to act in their own best interest, or in the best interest of a select few constituents, rather than all of them examples and evidence of this

  • MPs may act in self-interest rather than for all constituents.
  • Example: 2009 Expenses Scandal – MPs misused public money for personal gain.
  • Example: Owen Paterson (2021) – accused of paid lobbying, putting private interests first.
• Low participation levels

  • If few people participate in the election of representatives, the representatives will not accurately reflect those they represent in parliament.
  • Turnout for EU Parliament elections in the UK was 35.6% in 2014 and as a result, more marginal and radical parties have seats.
  • UKIP won 26.6% of the UK popular vote in the European Parliament, but at the 2015 general election only won 12.6% of the vote.