Voting Systems

Question 1

Proportional systems have NOT improved representation and proportionality: Parties dominating Welsh and Scottish parliaments

Answer 1

Despite less votes being wasted, there is no increase in the number of parties devolved bodies vs Westminster.
Labour has constantly dominated in Wales, and the SNP in Scotland- PR hasn’t actually made that much difference.

Question 2

Proportional systems have NOT improved representation and proportionality: How many parties are represented in Scotland, Welsh and Westminster Parliaments?

Answer 2

Scotland has 6 parties represented, Wales has 4, Westminster has 14.
So major benefit of PR- giving more parties representation- isn’t true.

Question 3

Proportional systems have improved representation and proportionality: Lack of proportionality in Westminster

Answer 3

Has led to more proportional outcomes.
Majority of MPS elected to Westminster with under 50% of constituency vote. Leads to lack of proportionality in HoC (34% vs 63%).

Question 4

Proportional systems have improved representation and proportionality: Sinn Fein result in 2022

Answer 4

STV in NI: Sinn Fein won 28% of seats with 29% of vote.

Question 5

Proportional systems have improved representation and proportionality: Conservatives in Scotland 1999

Answer 5

1999 Scottish election: due to AMS tories won 14% of seats with 15% of 2nd party list vote. (WM would’ve got 0).

Question 6

Proportional systems have improved voter choice: System under FPTP

Answer 6

FPTP: only one vote which goes to a local MP- not specifically for a party- leads to tactical voting to prevent wasted votes- 2024 MakeVotesMatter found that 1/5 intended to vote tactically.

Question 7

Proportional systems have improved voter choice: AMS

Answer 7

Able to split ticket by voting for 2 different parties- less wasted votes/ tactical voting.

Question 8

Proportional systems have improved voter choice: STV

Answer 8

Voters can rank preferences and choose between candidates from the same party.

Question 9

Proportional systems have NOT improved voter choice: Voter choice has not helped turnout

Answer 9

Low in both Westminster and devolved assemblies is low regardless of PR- in 2024:
Westminster = 59%
Scottish Parliament: 63% 2021
Welsh Assembly: 46% 2021

Question 10

Proportional systems have NOT improved voter choice: Implications of the complex systems

Answer 10

Hinder participation.
Lead to ‘donkey voting’.
2022 in NI- 11,000 spoilt ballots.

Question 11

Have not impacted type of government created: Type of parties in Westminster

Answer 11

Strong, single party governments due to ‘winner’s bonus’.
Enables strong mandate to be carried out- eg. Thatcher’s economic reforms and Blair’s constitutional reforms.
2024- Labour won 63% of seats with 34% of votes.

Question 12

Have not impacted type of government created: Similarities in parties in devolved nations to WM

Answer 12

Under AMS in Scotland and Wales, major reforms have been able to be carried out- eg. Scotland increasing top rate of income tax so that it’s 2% higher than the rest of the country.
SNP dominated Scotland 2007-2024.

Question 13

Have impacted type of government created: Type of governments

Answer 13

More minority and coalition governments in devolved nations. Makes them less stable and more prone to conflict- reliant on support from other parties to get legislation passed.

Question 14

Have impacted type of government created: evidence of conflict in devolved nations

Answer 14

1st minister Yousaf in Scotland abandoned climate policies, lost support from the Greens, who issued a vote of no confidence, Yousaf had to resign. (AMS weakness)
In NI- STV creates coalition governments between Sinn Fein and DUP- Stormont suspended for nearly 2 years following 2022 election due to failure of coalition.
Also forcing parties to work together helped solve NI troubles.