Arguments in favour of retaining FPTP


• FPTP (First Past the Post)

  • Tends to produce decisive results and strong and stable government and Maintains a strong constituency link between MPs and voters
  • The 2010 and 2017 general elections did not provide a decisive victory for one party, but such results are rare
  • The 2019 general election delivered an 80-seat majority for the Conservative Party, ending the uncertainty around Brexit
• SV does not solve all of the problems of FPTP Minor parties still have little chance of winning

  With one exception (Ken Livingstone in 2000), only Labour and Conservative candidates have ever gone through to the second round of counting in London mayoral elections
• Tactical voting is still an issue, just as under FPTP
• Arguments in favour of retaining FPTP

  • AMS often fails to give one party a decisive majority, unlike FPTP
  • The SNP is now running the government in Scotland as a minority government, meaning the party does not have a majority of seats
  • Labour is running a minority government in Wales, meaning it is the largest party but still does not have over 50% of the seats so needs to get support from other parties to get measures through the Parliament
• Arguments in favour of retaining FPTP -STV can lead to confusion and gridlock


  • Between 2017 and 2020 in Northern Ireland, neither Sinn Fein nor the DUP was able to form a coalition or work together, so the UK government had to impose a budget on the province
  • STV has broken the link between a single representative and their constituents, as STV involves creating large constituencies that have several representatives