25 Marker Election Plans

25 Marker plans – Elections

To what extent do the different electoral systems used in the UK produce different outcome – Summer 2012

Intro
  * Different systems used in the UK – what’s elected e.g. H.O.C
  * Explain their differences e.g. proportionality
  * Explain similarities
P1
  * Proportionality
  *   What is Closed party list system used for/ number of seats= roughly number of votes
  * Labour and UKIP Iin the EU elections won 19 seats with a 16 and 17% vote share
  * Compare to FPTP/ awards seats on a plurality basis rather than absolute
  * 2010 election tory won 47% seats=36% vote whereas L.D won 9% seat=23% vote
  * takes 35,000 vote to elect tory/ 120000 to elect L.D
P2
  * Most important is legitimacy and the mandate formed
  * Alasdair Mcdonnel 24.5% of vote/ not hard to question legitimacy
  * Tony Blair elected in 2005 with 32.5% of popular vote
  * Possible under FPTP as need concentrated support
  * FPTP also creates safe seats – resulting in wasted votes
  * Other systems produce stronger mandates e.g. SV – need a majority in final round
  * E.g. Boris needed 2nd preference in 2012
P3
  * STV prevents one party dominating.
  * Multimember constituenecy on a quota basis – very proportionate.
  * 2011 DUP won 35% seats=30% vote
  * smaller parties also part of the executive due to good Friday agreement.
  * AMS maintains constituency link with top ups to compensate for disproportionality – pretty proportional
  * However, no one ever wins majority/ Labour & L.D in coalition from 1999-2007
  * FPTP produces single government
P4
  * Proportionality different effects on different parties
  * FPTP smaller parties cant get in as no concentrated support however SNP won 56 seats in Scotland in 2015
  * Could be argued a strength – doesn’t allow extremist parties overall weakness
  * In EU parliament BNP giving 2 seats
  * SV saw Green party elected in Scottish Parliament and London...