What’s next for the electoral system and representation?
Within the ‘winner takes all’ rhetoric, regurgitated through the first past the post electoral system, there is a great deal of discussion that revolves around the employment of such a system across the electoral precincts in England. Deliberation on the issue comes through an ability to critically analyse and also compare the aforementioned model with other such electoral frameworks in the North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, all of which offer quite distinct, yet respective proportional establishments come crunch time, that is, election day.
Quinn (2023a) informs the debate regarding a potential reform in customs surrounding the traditional electoral system prominent within Westminster. Interestingly, Quinn (2023b), citing Neal Lawson and Nigel Farage, also acknowledges the apparent credibility in the criteria of both first past the post and proportional representation, wherein the complexion of British politics could well have been significantly different with Farage and UKIP, had the latter system been adopted and introduced within the parliamentary elections back in 2015. The simplicity of first past the post has borne fruit through a series of by election results, none other, most recently, than that of George Galloway of the Workers’ Party’s ascendancy over Labour in Rochdale (Baston, The Guardian, 2024a).
It often appears that such victories are regarded as significant due to the collective action of the electorate thus further informing the debate on representation and voter discontent, as Baston (2024b) alludes to the point that this discontent wasn’t only characterised through the underperformance of both the Conservatives and Labour, which was “the worst result for the big two since the wartime by – elections of 1941 – 45 – but the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Reform UK all slipped as well.” Quinn (2023c) goes beyond, comparing British politics with political systems in Western Europe, acknowledging the benefit of causing an upset, however, argues that under a system of proportional representation, the representation of voters would become a lot less peripheral or superficial, and closer to home and how, therefore, “a dealigned electorate is more likely to shop around in a fragmented electoral market place, including for parties with little or no current representation.”
Disregarding the traditional first past the post method, White (2022a), argues the advantageous reception of proportional representation within the electoral precincts at Westminster and across England. Interestingly, put forth here is an idea that concentrates on the potential for constitutional reform which would eventually coincide with a system of proportionality in elections. The method of rationale assumes that constitutional reform entails the relinquishment of the already existent state of affairs wherein the executive is drawn from the legislature, and thus greater separation, governed through a process whereby seats in Westminster correspond to that of a party’s respective share of the vote. This therefore would limit the supremacy frequently displayed over the totality of parliamentary sovereignty and as White (2022b) notes, citing Young (2017), “Taken together, the two reforms can be expected to disperse power and create more checks and balances, to ‘deconcentrate’ power.” Indeed, such supremacy within the aforementioned principle has been countlessly exemplified and characterised through the larger majorities commanded by the respective parties, most recently that of Boris Johnson’s superiority of eighty seats in the 2019 election (BBC News, 2019).
An underlying trait, visible within any system of governance is the level of, and ability to command, efficient and coherent representation of the collective, that is the electorate. More precisely, Zittel (2020), acknowledges parliamentary representatives as important “mechanisms for responsive government since they provide avenues for participation and interaction between citizens and the state.” Analysis of the current level of efficiency of representation can be drawn from the complexion of the respective local authorities which eventually foster a progression towards relevant representation in parliament. Childs and Cowley (2011) ascertain the method of rationale for the employment of descriptive representation, as well as its credibility, within the electoral framework, amongst the mainstream. Here, Parliament should indeed be a micro – cosmic exemplar of the electorate, on whose behalf it legislates for, but also discussed, is the importance “that is not just that people should have someone who speaks for them, but that they have one of their own speaking for them…,”. Aside from George Galloway’s historic victory, reported on also was the successes of independent candidate David Tully, who received 21.3 per cent of the vote share in the Rochdale by – election (BBC News, 2024). The significance underlying this is the fact that Tully exemplified the vision of descriptive representation of the locality, as a well – known local businessman, and not just another career politician.
It is clear that the electoral system is the subject of intense debate and recent events have characterised the level of representation that is ever present in the current political discourse. A number of arguments have also been put forth in order to elaborate upon the necessities required for change in the electoral system as well as the expectations for respective requirements that suffice efficient representation of the voter.
Bibliography:
Quinn, T. (2023) ‘What Would the British Party System Look Like Under Proportional Representation?’ The Political Quarterly, 94(4), pp. 653 – 661. [Online]. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923X.13315 (Accessed: 5th March 2024).
Baston, L. (2024) ‘Rochdale byelection confirms dissatisfaction but little else is certain.’ The Guardian, 1st March. [Online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/01/rochdale-byelection-confirms-dissatisfaction-but-little-else-is-certain-george-galloway#:~:text=The%20Rochdale%20byelection%20was%20an,UK%20all%20slipped%20as%20well. (Accessed: 5th March 2024)
White, S. (2022) ‘How Should a Progressive Parliament Advance Proportional Representation?’ The Political Quarterly, (93)2, pp. 297 – 306. [Online]. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923X.13146 (Accessed: 5th March 2024).
BBC News (2019) Election results 2019: Which party got the most votes…and other questions. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50779901 (Accessed: 5th March 2024).
Rohrschneider, R. and Thomassen, J. (2020) The Oxford Handbook of Political Representation in Liberal Democracies. ‘Chapter 7 – Constituency Candidates and Political Representation’, Thomas Zittel. [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198825081.013.7 (Accessed: 5th March 2024)
Childs, S. and Cowley, P. (2011) ‘The Politics of Local Prescence: Is There a Case for Descriptive Representation?’ Political Studies (59)1, pp. 1 – 19. [Online]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2010.00846.x (Accessed 5th March 2024)
BBC News (2024) Rochdale by – election: Landslide win for George Galloway. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68443430 (Accessed: 5th March 2024).
I thought this blog post successfully highlighted the prominent issue that comes with the FPTP system, of the wide scope of the electorate not being truly represented, or misrepresented. The author highlights the importance of how people should have one of their own, from whatever group or demographic to speak on their behalf in parliament. The author successfully highlights, that under the current electoral system which favours the two largest parties, it is more difficult for people to vote effectively in order to elect a candidate who is truly representative of their constituents. As a result of the FPTP system favouring the two largest parties, there also arises the potential issue of “tactical voting”, where people will choose to vote for a larger party candidate who they know actually stands a chance of winning, rather than wasting their vote on a smaller party candidate who they might actually prefer.
The author successfully uses the example of UKIP to highlight the disparities in amount of votes received as opposed to the amount of seats obtained under the current electoral system, leaving the reader with the important question of how legitimate and representative the UK FPTP electoral system truly is. In 2015, UKIP secured 3.9 million votes in the general election, although it only achieved one seat in the House of Commons.
A report from the Constitution society puts forth a valid point to consider with regards to the first past the post system in that it prevents parliament from reflecting the social and political divides of Britain today, and that “political debate occurs as much within the main parties as between them, reducing their coherence, leading to unstable governments and depriving voters of a clear choice at general elections.”, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/23/first-past-the-post-abets-extreme-politics-says-thinktank
This point which can be seen as particularly prominent in highlighting the issues with the UK electoral system in terms of Brexit- with both the Conservative and Labour parties being split between those who wanted to Remain and those who wanted to Leave. Perhaps if smaller parties were allowed a fairer chance under a system of PR in the UK electoral system, they could more effectively legislate for specific issues such as Brexit better than the larger parties.
This blog provides valuable insights into the ongoing debate surrounding electoral systems in England, comparing the first-past-the-post model with proportional representation frameworks in other regions. It’s clear you have looked at various perspectives, acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of each system. The mention of potential reforms, such as constitutional changes to achieve proportionality in elections, demonstrates a critical analysis approach to improving representation.
However, the discussion could benefit from a more balanced exploration of the consequences of maintaining the status quo versus implementing proportional representation. While first-past-the-post has yielded some successes, like George Galloway’s recent victory, it’s essential to consider its limitations, particularly in addressing voter discontent and ensuring fair representation for all. Additionally, while descriptive representation, exemplified by candidates like David Tully, is highlighted, more emphasis could be placed on the importance of diversity and inclusivity in political representation.
To enhance the analysis, it would be constructive to delve deeper into the practical implications and feasibility of implementing proportional representation, addressing potential challenges and providing concrete suggestions for reform. Moreover, considering the diverse perspectives within the electorate is crucial to ensuring that any proposed changes truly reflect the interests and needs of the population. Overall, while the analysis offers valuable insights, further exploration and consideration of alternative viewpoints could enrich the discussion and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the issue.
Through using a question as a title, the blog instantly portrays the topic being discussed. The author successfully engages with current trends, in the UK, and makes thorough use of secondary sources to support their argument. However, adding a few images would liven up the blog. Incidentally, the use of subheadings to divide up the blog would make the blog more engaging for readers. I found it effective how the blog explored the need for change within the electoral system, as FPTP doesn’t effectively provide representation for voters. However, as the blog is discussing the future of the electoral system within the UK it would be imperative for the author to expand further on the advantages and disadvantages of the PR. As the author concludes that “a number of arguments have also been put forth in order to elaborate upon the necessities required for change in the electoral system as well as the expectations for respective requirements that suffice efficient representation of the voter.” Evidently, it appears as though the author is alluding to Proportional Representation, a system that would provide efficient representation for its voters, but risks producing a weak government. The advantages and disadvantages of PR can be examined through this source:
UK Engage (2013). What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Proportional Representation, (PR) Electoral System? [online] UK Engage. Available at: https://uk-engage.org/2013/08/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-using-a-proportional-representation-pr-electoral-system/.
Through elaborating further on PR the author would be engaging with a current trend amongst the UK’s population; that constitutional reform in favour of representation is imperative. On the other hand, the author successfully discusses the potential constitutional reform that the current electoral system faces. Ultimately, the author has provided a very interesting perspective for the UK’s future and what could occur.