1. CFE Democracy First Past the Post

2. Different systems in UK
There are FOUR voting systems in use in the UK at the moment.
The First Past The Post (FPTP) is used for UK General Elections.
The Additional Member System (AMS) is used for Scottish parliament elections.
The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is used for Scottish Local authority elections.
The Party List system is used for European parliament elections.
System 1         FPTP
UK Parliament General Election
System 2         The Additional Member System (AMS)
Scottish Parliament elections
System 3         The Single Transferable Vote (STV)
Northern Ireland
Scottish local government elections from 2007
System 4         Party List system
European Parliament elections
The STV and Party List are both proportional representation systems. The AMS is a hybrid with a FTP element and a PR element.

3. How FPTP works
Voters vote within their parliamentary constituency (or ‘seat’.
Voters have one vote.
Voters vote by drawing an ’X’ next to the candidate of their choice.
The candidate who wins the most votes wins the seat.

4. How it works
650 of these “mini” elections take place, one in each constituency (‘seats’)
The party that wins the most seats gets “first past the post”, half of 650 seats, which wins it the General Election and allows it to become the governing party.

5. Mandate to govern Labour landslide 1997
FPTP usually provides a decisive result and a Government with a clear mandate to deliver its election promises. This happened with Tony Blair’s clear victories in 1997, 2001 and At each of these elections, one party, Labour, was returned to power with sufficient numbers of MPs to ensure that the Government had a ruling majority over the other parties.
This governing party had a five year term to fulfil the pledges it made to the voters. If it did not deliver those promises, the Government had no-one else to blame – it had the majority in the House of Commons. Voters can then judge the Government on the pledges it made - and kept.

6. Stable government
In the UK we are used to stable Government. By this we mean that General Elections or major changes in Government are few and far between. It may be dull, but it’s good for the economy and our quality of life. Business, especially global business, doesn’t like instability.
It likes to know interest rates, currency rates, inflation rates and government policies over the long term. Governments that change frequently are, it is said, bad news for the economy.
So, it is argued that stable government, even those elected by a slightly unfair result, is better than the unstable government a PR system could bring.

7. Good government?
Governments with large majorities, supported by the whip system, can dominate the House of Commons.
Stable government is ok but what about bad government?
Doesn’t all power corrupt and absolute power corrupt absolutely?
Would the Iraq war, widely acknowledged as a mistake, have gone ahead had there been more opposition MPs or even a coalition government?

8. However, is it fair on voters?
A party can win power with a minority of the votes. Labour governed for five years, , after winning less than 36% of the vote.
Also FPTP doesn’t always create majority Government. It didn’t in 2010!

9. 2005 General Election

10. Two classes of voter?
FPTP creates marginal seats which attract all the attention of political parties and also safe seats where voters’ views are rarely sought. The Electoral Reform Society estimates that around 400/650 seats are ‘safe’.

11. Wasted votes?
The Electoral Reform Society reckons that more than half of all voters voted for losing candidates.

12. Bond with local MP
Voters have just the one representative who is responsible for their constituency. Voters can get to know that person and make a good judgement on whether they should be re-elected as their MP.
“We should all know our MP, and if there is something not going right we can see them in their Friday surgeries or write to them until they do something.”
Sue McGregor, broadcaster

13. But do we have a bond?
Have you presented your views to a local councillor or MP? (Hansard Society, 2009)
How many of us really do get to know what our MP is like? How many of us do get in touch with our MP?
And do voters not normally vote for the party, rather than the local candidate?

14. Allows by-elections
FPTP also enables by elections to occur during the term of a Parliament.
By-elections happen when an MP resigns or dies.
By elections allow voters to express their dis-satisfaction with the Government of the day, if they choose. For example, by-elections to register protest e.g.
Corby in November 2012, when Conservative MP Louise Mensch resigned. Labour’s Andy Sawford won the seat.

15. However….
PR systems such as the Single Transferable Vote (STV) also allow by-elections.
Fife Council, June 2013.

16. Voters prefer FPTP? No to AV campaign Yes to AV campaign
In May 2011, voters took part in a referendum on whether the current FPTP system for general elections should be changed to the AV.
It was chosen as a result of the coalition between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives, the Lib Dems having failed to secure their preferred option – STV.
The AV is a combination of FPTP & STV which does make a huge difference to the proportionality of the election. This is perhaps why was once described as a ‘miserable little compromise’ by Nick Clegg, of all people!
13,013,123 (67%) voted No to the AV, with 6,152, 607 voting YES.
Yes to AV campaign
No to AV campaign

17. Stops Extremists?
Supporters of FPTP claim the system prevents extremists such as the BNP from gaining power. Possibly.
But the BNP win seats in FPTP elections.
While in 2013 it only has two councillors in England (elected by FPTP), in 2009 it had 55 councillors across England, all elected by FPTP.