The Westminster electoral system has traditionally used the FPTP, which is a majoritarian system in
which the UK is divided into 650 constituencies, each of which elects a representative for their area. It
has been claimed that the existing Westminster electoral system has caused a democratic deficit. The
current system is undeniably in need of considerable and urgent reform in order to significantly improve
the state of UK democracy.
The underlying problem with an FPTP system is that it is incapable of achieving maximum representation
for the people of the United Kingdom. Because of the way MPs are elected to Westminster, politicians
are able to ignore serious issues. Voters who cast ballots for candidates who do not win are not
represented in any way. However, the number of votes cast for victorious candidates makes no impact
(Aidt et al, 2021). Any more votes do not increase a candidate's chances of winning. This isn't something
that will happen by itself. Because voters are in charge, most parliaments around the world adopt
systems that require them to focus on key public concerns. In our Voting Systems area, you may learn
about several methods for electing MPs.
Changing the way elections are conducted so that each vote counts towards the final outcome makes
the trip to the polling station meaningful – for everyone. Even political parties believe they must
participate in electoral pacts, standing down for one another since the system cannot manage too many
options for voters. Voters and political parties should not have to work around the system in order to be
heard. Every vote helps elect MPs who will campaign on topics that matter to you under a proportional
electoral system.
Westminster's voting system intentionally divides the country, polarizing rather than uniting us. While
each constituency can only have one color on the results map, there is no such thing as a town where
everyone looks the same. Westminster's one-person-takes-all system reduces everything to black and
white, obscuring the numerous areas of agreement. Every problem becomes a weapon to use against an
adversary, rather than a problem to be handled for the benefit of all.
It's impossible for a single MP to represent everyone in their constituency, which is why most countries
have a group of MPs for each area, each reflecting a diverse range of viewpoints. Proportional
representation is based on the principle that people's ideas be represented in proportion to their
numbers in society. The First Past the Post election system in Westminster usually elects administrations
that the majority of people do not want, but it can also elect parties that did not receive the most votes
(Aidt et al, 2021).
Even if the majority of voters oppose it, political parties frequently create governments. As voters opted
to support a broader spectrum of parties, the problem has gotten worse. Huge policy swings can occur
as a result of a few voters in battleground seats changing their minds from one government to the next.
The method we elect MPs makes it more difficult for political parties to work together on long-term
societal concerns – and leads to lousy governance.
References
Aidt, T., Grey, F., & Savu, A. (2021). The meaningful votes: Voting on Brexit in the British House of
Commons. Public Choice, 186(3), 587-617.