First Past The Post

First Past The Post

1. Disadvantages

   • Elections are not very representative
     • This is unfair to smaller parties as you only win a seat if you come first in a constituency. The percentage of seats allocated is not always similar to the percentage of the vote share.
       • For example, in 2015 election, UKIP got 1/8 of the vote but only 1/650 seats whereas the SNP got 4.7% and 56 seats.
   • Candidates can win seats with less than a majority of the vote.
     • Canddiates can win by less 1% which means lots of votes are wasted as people are not represented by someone they voted for.
       • For example, in the Gower constituency the candidate won with 37.1% of the vote whereas the runner up lost out with 37.0%.
   • Encourages voter apathy.
     • The system in place means that people feel their vote will not count so they don't turn up to vote.
       • For example, in the Knowsley constituency 78% of people voted labour in the last election and as there is an overwhelming majority that is unlikely to change, this puts people off from voting as they feel they cannot change this.

2. Advantages

   • Easy to understand
     • Only one vote and only one winner in each consistuency: the person that gets the most votes.
       • For example, people argue this is better because many other systems like AMS are more complicated as there are two votes and you end up with 8 representatives instead of just 1.
   • Direct link between voters and representatives
     • Each constituency only has 1 MP which means you know who to go to unlike AMS where there are 8.
       • For example, in Lanark and Hamilton East, constituents will know to go to Angela Crawley.
   • You're more likely to get one party running the country
     • In Westminister elections, it has mostly ever only been one party winning with more than half the seats. This allows governing parties the chance to follow throguh on their policies without compromise as well sas stopping smaller extreme parties from getting a say.
       • For example, in 2015 David Cameron got a majority government, however in 2010 he didn't. Every election since 1945 under FPTP apart from 2010 has ended up in a majority government.