Alternatives to First past the Post

[DonkeyScabs]

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are currently discussing alternatives to the First Past the Post system of electing MPs. Here's a few alternatives and the effect they would have had on the 2005 election result.

1. First Past the Post.
In the current system, people get a single vote for who they want to represent their constituency and whichever candidate gets the most votes wins.
UK use: Election to Westminster and local government in England and Wales.
Result in 2005
Labour 355
Conservative 198
Lib Dem 62
Others 31

2. Additional member system
In this system, people get one vote for a constituency representative and one vote for a representative from a larger area such as a county or region.
UK use: Election to Scottish Parliament.
Labour 242
Conservative 208
Lib Dem 143
Others 53

3. Alternative Vote
Voters rank the candidates. If no candidate has 50% of first preferences then second preferences are counted and so on until someone has a majority.
UK use: By-elections to Northern Ireland Assembly.
Labour 366
Conservative 175
Lib Dem 74
Others 31

4. Single transferrable vote
Several constituencies are combined and voters rank the candidates. Members are elected once they pass a certain number of votes, known as a quota.
UK use: Used in Northern Ireland for elections to Assembly, European Parliament and local government. Also used for local elections in Scotland.
Labour 263
Conservative 200
Lib Dem 147
Others 36

5. Proportional representation
One form of proportional representation is the party list system, under which everyone has a single vote and each party has a list of candidates.
The number of candidates on the list who are elected depends on the number of votes the party gets nationwide.
Not used in UK.
Labour 232
Conservative 213
Lib Dem 145
Others 58

Source : BBC News - Q&A: Calls to change the UK election voting system

Looking at those figures, the only option the Labour Party are likely to favour is No. 3 (Alternative vote), which is in turn the least beneficial to the Lib Dems. It would also lead to the Conservatives having less seats, so we can safely say that this will not be one they agree on. :wink: Any of the others would be possible. The Lib Dems would do better, the Conservatives would stay similar, and Labour would be elected to far fewer seats. Labour would have a much weaker position in any of the options bar No 3., which makes me think their commital to any change is disingenuous, and would be like a Turkey voting for Christmas. Electoral reform is far more beneficial to the other two parties.

[Christ On A Bike]

Bump for people not familiar or who don't understand.

Think some people seem to think it's FPTP or some sort of party list PR.

[safc90]

2 or 4 would be the best ones to implement, the link between constituents and their local mp is vital.

[not spavin]

The Tories have only offered a referendum on AV - they're not offering PR at all.

If Labour offer PR, or even a referendum on PR, then that could be enough to push them over the line.

[Christ On A Bike]

Originally Posted by safc90

2 or 4 would be the best ones to implement, the link between constituents and their local mp is vital.

I agree.

Never really read much about system 2 before, only 3,4 and 5.

[Blythy]

STV is by far the best option IMO. Clegg should hold out for a clear offer of STV from one of the parties.

[not spavin]

Originally Posted by Blythy

STV is by far the best option IMO. Clegg should hold out for a clear offer of STV from one of the parties.

That's the system they have in Ireland - it seems to work, though Ireland have had coalitions for a while now too. Plus, UK politics is way more partizan.

If there were 10 candidates and you had 5 votes, who would you given them too? Would a Labour voter ever mark the Conservatives as, say, heir 4th choice?

[Stevie Freestein II]

Still think first past the post is best.

- Need a clear winner to implement the policies that the parties campaign for.

- Still want a local representative in Parliament.

- Don't want too many minority parties.

- At the end of the day, if most people in a constituency choose a clear favourite then they deserve to win.

[PTR]

Originally Posted by Stevie Freestein II

Still think first past the post is best.

- Need a clear winner to implement the policies that the parties campaign for.

- Still want a local representative in Parliament.

- Don't want too many minority parties.

- At the end of the day, if most people in a constituency choose a clear favourite then they deserve to win.

I don't think AV would stop any of that.

The main difference is the ability to vote against the party you dislike, instead of having to vote FOR someone you think can beat them.

Sounds ideal to me - not a massive change, people will understand it and it will still give a strong government.

[Stevie Freestein II]

Originally Posted by PTR

I don't think AV would stop any of that.

The main difference is the ability to vote against the party you dislike, instead of having to vote FOR someone you think can beat them.

Sounds ideal to me - not a massive change, people will understand it and it will still give a strong government.

Yeah OK then, plus Labour would have still trounced the capitalist pig-dogs in 2005 so seems OK.

Labour 366
Conservative 175
Lib Dem 74
Others 31