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Uk Politics > 7 - Elections and referendums > Flashcards

7 - Elections and referendums Flashcards

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1
Q

Key info for FPTP

A

A plurality system
Whichever candidate gets the most votes win
Candidates DO NOT need a majority
Used in generals

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2
Q

Advantages of FPTP in terms of voting

A

Simple - voters simply put a cross to a candidate

Easy to understand

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3
Q

Disadvantages of FPTP in terms of voting

A

Millions of wasted votes

Encourages tactical voting

There is only one candidate per party

Turnout tends to be lower with countries who use FPTP

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4
Q

Advantages of FPTP in terms of constituencies

A

Each constituency is represented by one mp so constituents know who to contact

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5
Q

Disadvantages of FPTP in terms of constituencies

A

A majority of voters in a constituency may have voted against their representative

Voters in safe seats tend to not turn up

Election campaigns only focuses on marginal seats

In 2019 there were only 67 marginal seats

Difference in population size means some votes are worth more than others - in 2019 isle of white had 113,020 for a seat compared to na h-eileanan an iar with 21,106

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6
Q

Advantages of FPTP in terms of parties

A

FPTP tends to produce a two-party system giving voters a clear choice

Extremist parties find it hard to win seats

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7
Q

Disadvantages of FPTP in terms of parties

A

It favours parties with concentrated geographical support

Minor party’s win fewer seats - in 2015 ukip won 1 seat for 3.9m votes

Difficult for new party’s to break into politics

Minor party struggle for votes as people feel like voting for them is wasting their vote

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8
Q

Advantages of FPTP in terms of governments

A

FPTp tends to result in majority single-party governments who can pass legislation

Majority governments have a clear mandate

Governments are easily held accountable by the electorate for implementing their manifestos

Coalition and minority governments are rare

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9
Q

Disadvantages of FPTP in terms of governments

A

Exaggerates the mandate the government get - in 1997 labour got 2.5x the seats of the torys but 1.4x the votes than them

Since 2010 the rise of minor and regional party’s (SNP) have lead to smaller majority’s

UK now haas a multi-party system but a voting system for 2 parties

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10
Q

What is a majoritarian system

A

Requires a candidate to get 50% plus one vote

Not proportional so likely to result in a majority government

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11
Q

What is a Proportional system

A

Seats given in proportional to votes

More likely to get a minority government

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12
Q

How does age influence voter behaviour

A

Young people in 2019 were more likely to vote labour and people over 39 were more likely to vote conservative

In the 2016 eu referendum a majority of 18-34yr olds wanted to stay whereas over 55’s wanted to leave

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13
Q

Turnout of age groups in 2019 general

A

55% of 18-24 yr olds

more than 80% of over 75’s

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14
Q

How does class influence voting behaviour

A

Traditionally the middle/upper class voted tory and working voted labour

Since 1980’s class dealignment has started, in the 2016 eu referendum middle class voters more more likely to vote remain than working class of the same age

In the 2019 general voters of all classes were more likely to vote conservative - with skilled workers voting more conservatively too

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15
Q

How did education levels affect voting behaviour in the 2019 general

A

People with a Degree-level education voted labour

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16
Q

How does gender affect voting behaviour

A

Women are more likely to vote for party’s that favour public service’s

More likely to vote remain in eu referendum 2016

Both equally likely to turn out to vote

In the 2019 women were slightly more likely to vote labour

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17
Q

How does ethnicity affect voter behaviour

A

Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups ae significantly more likely to vote labour than conservative - with an approximately 64% in 2019 voting labour

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18
Q

How does geography affect voter behaviour

A

Rural english areas and southern constituencies are more likely to vote conservative

Urban areas and the south of wales is more likely to be labour

Regional parties dominate in scotland and northern ireland

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19
Q

What happened to the red wall in 2019

A

Conservatives broke it winning labour safe seats in the midlands, the north and wales

These constituency’s had voted leave in 2016 so liked Johnsons “Get brexit done”

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20
Q

What is rational choice theory

A

Assumes voters will weigh up all the political options logically and will vote for the one that bests them the most

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21
Q

What is issue voting

A

Voters prioritise one issue above all others and vote purely based on that issue

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22
Q

What is valence issues

A

issues that are universally seen as important

Voters choose a party based on this

issues are normally: Economy, Education and healtcare

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23
Q

What is a majoritarian voting system

A

Supplementary vote (SV)

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24
Q

Where is supplementary vote used

A

Elections for the mayor of London
Directly elected metro mayors
Police and Crime Commissioners

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25
How does the supplementary vote work
A candidate needs 50% plus one vote to win Single-member constituencies Voters choose a 1st and 2nd choice If no candidates win the first preferences the second come into play - all but the top 2 candidates are counted The second preferences are added to the first preferences to produce a winner
26
Advantages of the Supplementary vote system
Increased legitimacy Choice - voters can vote for a minor option with their first preference then the second can use for the frontrunner
27
Disadvantages of the supplementary vote system
Not proportional Very difficult for the minor party to win Votes for anyone but the front runners are wasted It is possible for the winner to be elected without a majority Can result in the "Least - worse" candidate winning
28
What is a proportional voting system
Single transferable vote (STV)
29
Where is single transferable vote used
Northern Ireland Assembly elections and scottish local council elections
30
How does Single transferable vote work
Large - multi member constituencies Voters will write numbers next to candidates in order of preference Candidates need to reach the "Droop quota" to win a seat once a candidate gets enough votes to fill the quota their extra votes are relocated to the second preference Process continues until all seats are filled
30
Advantages of the single transferable vote, voting system
Proportional Greatest choice
31
Disadvantages of the single transferable vote, voting system
Coalition governments are very likely Link between voters and constituencies are weaker Complex voting system Complex counting system - can take days to find results
32
What is a mixed voting system
Additional Member system (AMS)
33
Where is AMS used
Scottish and wales parliament The london assembly
34
How does AMS work
The greater amount of seats are elected via FPTP - Single-member constituencies The smaller amount is done via proportional representation - large multi-member constituencies The proportion of the vote in the reginal proportional vote are put up next to the FPTP elected seats and these will get topped up with the other proportional votes
35
Advantages of AMS voting system
Much more proportional than FPTP Voters can vote for minor parties with their regional vote without wasting it Split-ticket voting means voters can pick one for their constituency and one for the regional vote The relationship is the same in constituency's between voters and electors
36
Disadvantages of AMS
Not perfectly proportional Two class of representatives are elected Voters only had one individual on he closed list Majority parties are less likely Relatively complex system
37
Examples of minor parties winning while FPTP isn't in play
The european parliament election 2019 - The brexit party one with the lib dems in second
38
Political context of the 1979 general election
Followed the 1978-9 "Winter of discontent" Labour leader callaghan faced new conservative leader Margaret Thatcher
39
Result of the 1979 general
Conservative win 43 seat majority
40
Patterns of voting behaviour in the 1979 general
Middle class more likely to vote tory , working class was voting labour All ages above 18-24 voted were more likely to vote tory Women slightly more likely to vote conservative
41
Influence of the media in the 1979 general
More media focus on leaders than before Thatcher used television photo's to raise her profile The SUN newspaper went to conservatives from labour for the first time
42
Impact of party policies and manifesto's in the 1979 general
The conservatives focused on the economy, lowering unemployment and preventing strikes Conservative tax cuts and the right to buy were popular with voters
43
Impact of campaigns and leadership
Successful "Labour isn't working" campaign by the conservatives on high unemployment Thatcher was relatively unknown compared to callaghan British people had never had a female PM before
44
Impact of the 1979 election on policy making
Thatchers majority allowed her to begin transforming the uk by privatisation and reducing union strikes Thatchers polices became boulder after she won a landslide in 1983 Focused on monetary economic policy - lead to unemployment doubling by 1983
45
Political context of the 1997 election
Torys been in power since 1979 Major's government tainted by sleaze Labour had moved more centrally in 1994 when blair came in charge
46
Result of the 1997 election
Labour landslide 179 seat majority Best result ever by labour
47
patterns of voting behaviour in the 1997 election
Made big gains in the middle class and skilled workers class All people under 65 more likely to vote labour Women and women equal 70% of BAME voters went labour compared to 43% of whites
48
Influence of the media in the 1997 general
New labour had a proactive approach to the media - new to uk politics Tony blair met Rupert Murdoch - after the sun switched to labour instead of conservatives Spin doctors managed labour's interactions to make sure they where the right message
49
Impact of policy's and manifestos on the 1997 general
Labour had central economic views The third way appealed to a lot of voters Conservatives were divided over europe and critical of devolution, the electorate wasn't impressed either
50
labours 5 pledges in the 1997 election
Fast-track punishments for young offenders Cut NHS waiting lists To get under 25's into work Not to raise income tax Cut class size
51
Impact of campaigns and leadership on the 1997 general
Negative campaign, with the tory slogan "New labour, New danger" The labour slogan promised change "Because britain deserves better" Campaigns focused on leaders Blair was eccentric and interesting whereas blair was fucking boring
52
Impact of the 1997 general on policy making
Blairs majority allowed him to bring in a range of policy's: Devolution HRA 1998 Removal of hereditary peers Freedom of information act 2000 Minimum wage Increased public spending
53
Political context of the 2019 general election
Johnson had been PM since july 2019 and called a snap election for december The conservatives were a minority government with division The last 3 elections had been very close
54
Result of the 2019 general
Big conservative win 80 seats majority Regional party's done well snp won 48 seats Labour had its worst election since 1935 - leading to the resignation of corbyn
55
Patterns of voting behaviour in the 2019 general election
people over 39 and home owners more likely to vote tory Young people, bame voters, home renters and those with a degree were voting labour Conservatives broke labour's red wall winning 24 safe labour seats up north
56
influence of the media on the 2019 general election
Right wing papers such as the sun, daily mail and express supported conservatives Social media spending was focused on meta and youtube with labour spending 4m compared to the conservatives 900k Johnson was criticised for avoiding a channel 4 debate on climate change Was only Labour and the conservatives at the tv leadership debates pushing the 2 - horse race
57
Impact of party polices and manifestos in the 2019 general election
Conservatives focus on achieving brexit, 50,000 new nurses, money for social care and police, no income tax raise Labour focus's on: Renegotiated brexit deal and a 2nd referendum, NHS spending, minimum wage increase The Lib Dems promised to rejoin the eu without a second referendum, their leader Jo Swinson lost her seat in the election
58
Impact of campaigns and leadership in the 2019 general election
Johnson's repetition of "Get brexit done" was effective, and helped winning labour seats Corbyn was seen as weak, and less appealing to the working-class, also was accused of being an anti-semite Labour's brexit position was criticised due to being stuck between the leave (red wall voters) and the remain (London voters) seats
59
Impacts on policy making from the 2019 general
Johnson "Got Brexit done" in jan 2020 Began a "Levelling up" agenda to try and keep labour seats - This included investments to decrease economic inequalities The 2020 pandemic transformed government policy to have the highest borrowing since ww2 Johnsons majority meant the conservatives didn't have to have an emergency coalition
60
Example of a landslide victory in a general
1997 labour - Biggest since ww2
61
Example of a discrepancy between votes and seats
2015 - Ukip got 3.9m votes but one seat Greens won 1.1m votes and got 1 seat SNP got 56 seats for only 1.5m votes
62
Example of large numbers of voters being disenfranchised by the advantage of one party
In 2015 - The SNP won 56 of the 59 seats in scotland 1.5m scots , voted for snp, around 50% Scottish voters who didn't vote for SNP had been effectively disfranchised
63
Example of an election where the outcome was greatly influenced by their leader
1997 - LABOUR Blairs leadership was crucial He was young, charismatic and a skilled communicator HE made the new labour that shifted labour more central and got a lot of middle - class votes
64
Is the result of a referendum legally binding
NO
65
The 4 reasons for calling a referendum
Constitutional change Political forces Party or government management The localism act 2011
66
Significance of referendums being held for constitutional change
Gives a mandate to the change eg devolution votes in 1997
67
Significance of referendums being called by political forces
Governments can be compelled to call one if nationalist parties are making ground EG - 2016 EU referendum
68
Significance of referendums being called by party management
PM's can call a referendum on something splitting the party apart - In 2011 the AV referendum was done while the Lib-Dems waned change and the tory's didn't
69
Significance of referendums being called in line with the localism act 2011
Act was intended to devolve power to local governments, including an increase in local elections Local referendums must be called over certain plans for housing development and to control council tax
70
Context of the 1975 European communities membership referendum
Labour PM Wilson called this referendum after the party and cabinet were split over europe
71
Result of the 1975 European communities membership referendum
67% of the electorate wanted to stay in the EEC
72
Impact of the 1975 European communities membership referendum
Britain remained in the EEC that transformed into the EU
73
Context of the AV referendum 2011
The coalition government called this after the conservatives wanted FPTP and the Lib-Dems wanted proportional representation The public struggled to understand the AV system and the campaign didn't inspire people to vote
74
Result of the 2011 AV referendum
68% voted to keep FPTP only a 42% turnout
75
Impact of the 2011 AV referendum
FPTP was continued to be used The low turnout and the emphatic rejection of AV means it's unlikely future party's will try to change the system
76
Context of the 2016 EU referendum
Was in the conservative manifesto Included the referendum to stop tory voters going to UKIP The campaigns were cross-party with Johnson and Gove leading the LEAVE campaign Cameron and most ministers stuck with REMAIN
77
Result of the 2016 EU referendum
52% voted to leave Turnout was high at 72%
78
Impact of the 2016 EU referendum
Cameron resigned as he didn't want it May became the PM but couldn't leave the Brexit Process The public seemed divided like never before Didn't leave the eu until jan 202
79
Positives of referendums
Enhanced direct democracy High participation Gives legitimacy to decisions Been used effectively since 1998
80
Negatives of referendums
Governments still have the power so wont run an election if they know they will lose Low turnout in some referendums suggests the public aren't always engaged Can threaten parliamentary sovereignty Campaigns can be misleading Aren't legally binding

Uk Politics (9 decks)

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