Voting Systems in the UK – Why do we hold elections and what are the different systems?

1. Voting Systems in the UK – Why do we hold elections and what are the different systems?

2. Today we will… • Identify the various voting systems used in the UK • Understand the various outcomes following an election in the UK

3. Success Criteria • Identify the voting system used in UK elections. • Describe the difference between majority, coalition and minority governments.

5. Why do we hold elections? To choose representatives We live in a REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY – meaning we choose people to make most of our decisions for us. Elections also provide the opportunity to… Elect a Government Most successful candidates are members of political parties. Elections allow voters to choose/make clear the party they wish to run the country after the election.

6. Additional Member System British Electoral System First Past the Post Single Transferable Vote

7. There are two main types of voting system: Plurality Voting Systems Where the winning candidate is required to have more votes than every other candidate. This can be referred to as a “winner takes all” situation. Proportional Representation Systems (PR) Where the number of seats won by a party in the election is broadly in proportion to its share of the vote (if a party receives 20% of the public votes they will receive roughly 20% of the available seats in parliament).

8. Result of the Election Following the election, depending on the result, different forms of government may be formed: • A majority government e.g. Blair/Brown UK Labour Gov (2005-2010) or Salmond SNP Gov (2011-2016) • A minority government e.g. SNP Scottish Government (2007-11) or the current UK Conservative Gov (2017- present) • A coalition government e.g. Cameron-Clegg Conservative/ Lib. Dem Gov. from 2010-2015

9. Electoral Systems used in the UK

10. The First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system usually produces a majority government. The exceptions have been 2010 (Coalition) and 2017 (Minority). In most years one party wins more than half the seats. For example, in 2005 Labour won 35% of the vote but had 55% of the MPs.

11. Majority Government Advantages Government is able to take bold and decisive action. No need to compromise to make deals with other parties Full term of office likely Able to put manifesto pledges into effect Disadvantages Can become arrogant and ignore views of others Elected by a minority of voters – undemocratic Continues in office while unpopular Only draws members from one party

12. Result of 2010 UK General Election The Conservatives were most popular party in with 39% of vote which gave them 47% of the seats. Labour attracted 31% and won 40% of seats. The Liberal Democrats came third with 25% of vote but won only 9% of seats.

13. Coalition Government 650 UK Parliament seats up for election (2010). 326 seats needed to win a majority. • Prediction • 326 to win The Conservatives won the most seats in the 2010 UK General Election but fell 19 seats short of an overall majority. To run the country the Conservatives formed a coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

14. Coalition Government Advantages • Less extreme policies as parties have to compromise • More talent to choose from in forming executive • More voters feel they have a say • Different policies introduced Disadvantages • Parties may disagree leading to breakdown of agreement • No one voted for coalition • May give too much power to small parties • Less stable so frequent elections may be called

15. Minority Government 129 Scottish Parliament seats up for election. 65 seats needed to win a majority.

16. SNP only won 63 of the 129 seats in the 2016 Scottish Parliament Election. They run the country as a minority administration and gain support from other parties on a bill to bill basis.

17. Minority Government Theresa May called a “Snap Election” in June 2017. It was widely expected that the Conservatives would win a massive majority - the exact opposite happened.

18. Despite many calls to resign (even from her own party), May decided to form a minority administration after creating a “confidence and supply” deal with the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party. This deal has caused WIDESPREAD controversy for numerous reasons and has proven to be unstable already. A “confidence and supply” arrangement falls far short of a full-blown coalition. It does not involve an agreed five-year programme of policies. Instead, the junior party – the DUP – has agreed to support the government on KEY votes only in return for some political support on key issues/policies of their own.

19. Minority Government The largest party after the election has fewer than 50% of the seats. In such a situation the party may have to compromise on its programme in order to persuade other parties not to vote against it’s policies. Advantages • More views are represented in Government • Parties working together may produce policies that are supported by greater number of voters. Disadvantages • Governing party has no majority therefore unlikely to be able to put it’s policies into effect. • Likely to be only short term solution with another election being called fairly soon after first election.

20. Voting Systems in the UK • Which voting system is used for each of the following elections: UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament and Local Council elections in Scotland. • What is the main difference between a plurality system and a proportional representation system? • What two choices are voters making when they vote? • Using examples from the slides, explain what is meant by majority, coalition and minority government. • Why was the 2010 UK General Election unusual? • Describe two advantages and two disadvantages of majority, coalition and minority governments. • Why was Theresa May’s decision to form a minority government in 2017 controversial? • Why are minority governments more unstable than coalition governments? Use the 2017 election results to help you explain.