FPTP

FPTP

1. Advantages

   • Produces a single party government
     • Government can be effective and implement then polices it promised to introduce in its election manifesto without compromise
       • In 2015, David cameron got a majority government and was able to pass a bill through parliament on future with EU
   • Easy, Straightforward to use
     • Only requires an X in the box next to preferred candidate. This means no spoiled or wasted ballot papers
       • Encourages greater voter turnout. e.g. 68.7% of electorate turned out to vote in 2017 general election compared to 55.7% in the scottish parliament general election.
   • Produces a clear link between MP and Constituents
     • Provides only one winner in each constituency which means that the voters know exactly who to contact if they have issues
       • Jo swindon was elected as east dumbartonshire MP in 2017 so constituents from this area would know exactly who to contact
   • Prevents extremist parties
     • This means they will not have a influence over government decisions as they are not responsible, such as british nationalist Party,
       • Ukip gained 500000 votes in 2027 general election but did not receive any seats

2. Disadvantages

   • Encourages tactical voting
     • This means that a voter will vote for the party most likely to beat the party they dislike rather than voting for the party they like the most
       • During the 2017 general election people who did not want the conservatives to get into government would have voted for labour
   • Does not give true reflection of public opinion
     • Most MPs are elected with less than half the votes cast in their constituency
       • In 2017, Jo swinson was elected to represent east dumbartonshire with 40.6% of the vote, meaning 59.4% of people did not vote for her.
   • Unfair to smaller parties
     • FPTP is biased in favour of the larger parties like labour and conservatives. It holds a two party system which makes it an undemocratic system.
       • In 2017, UKIP gained 500,000 votes but gained no seats
   • Thousands of votes are waisted
     • The only votes that count are the ones cast for winning candidate. Votes cast for other candidates are waisted,
       • According to results from the electoral reform 68% of votes were wasted in 2017