First Past the Post

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  • Created by: xfirereg
  • Created on: 19-12-17 18:47

First Past the Post

Advantages

  • Speed and simplicity - results are known quickly with a new government being rapidly formed allowing for a swift and orderly transfer of power
  • Strong and stable government - a two-party system gives voters a clear choice, producing stability and allowing a government to pass legislation without much unneeded resistence
  • Exclusion of extremist parties due to the requirement of mainstream parties to win a plurality of votes
  • Strong MP-Constituency link
  • Independents can stand and win - Martin Bell stood as an independent and won the seat of Tatton in 1997

Disadvantages

  • MPs and governments can be elected on less than 50% of the vote
  • Lack of proportionality
  • MP-constituency link is called into question by the 331 MPs elected without an absolute majority in 2015
  • FPTP is unsuitable for the modern multi-party politics
  • Safe seats are virtually ignored at elections
  • Votes are of unequal value

Evaluation

Used for general elections, by elections and local council elections in England and Wales. FPTP is a simple Plurality system in which the candidate with the largest number of votes is elected to the seat. The winner does not need a majority of the votes cast. The average number of voters in a constituency is 70,000 but their is considerable variation.

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