Condensed Notes
Election Statistics
2019:
o 421/650 seats won by absolute majority.
o 207 seats won with 40–50% of votes.
o 22 seats won with less than 40%.
2017:
o 37 three-way marginal seats (<20% vote-share gap between 1st and 3rd).
o 8 seats (7 in Scotland) had <10% vote-share gap.
2015:
o 319/650 MPs won by absolute majority.
o 50 MPs won with less than 40% of votes.
Key Terms
Constituency: Area represented by an elected official.
Plurality: Winning more votes than opponents, not necessarily an absolute majority.
Absolute majority: Winning >50% of total votes.
Strengths and Weaknesses of FPTP
1. Safe Seats:
o Strength: Candidates have majority support, ensuring legitimacy.
o Weakness: Creates wasted votes, reduces turnout, opposition votes feel meaningless.
2. Marginal Seats:
o Strengths:
Votes have higher impact due to the potential for swings.
Promotes accountability of MPs to constituents.
o Weaknesses:
Disproportionate influence on election outcomes.
Some votes matter more than others, leading to unfairness and unequal party funding.
3. Three-Way Marginals:
o Weaknesses:
Winners often lack majorities.
Minor parties perform well in vote share but poorly in seat allocation.
4. Turnout and Legitimacy Examples:
o Arundel and South Downs:
75.4% turnout, winner secured 43.5% of votes.
Strength: Winner has majority support, ensuring legitimacy.
, Weakness: Candidate lacks overall support due to turnout.
o Lanark and Hamilton East:
68.34% turnout, winner secured 28.6% of votes.
Weakness: Winner lacks legitimacy with limited constituency support.
Referendums: What, How, and Why
Key Characteristics of Referendums
Ad hoc nature: Held only when Parliament permits them.
Legal status: Advisory, not binding, due to parliamentary sovereignty.
Democratic influence: Parliament rarely ignores results due to popular sovereignty.
o Example: Despite 80% of MPs supporting Remain, 77% voted to trigger Article 50 after the 2016
EU referendum.
Reasons for Referendums
1. Entrenching constitutional reforms (e.g., 2011 Wales Devolution).
2. Testing public opinion (e.g., 2004 North East Assembly).
3. Resolving intra-party conflict (e.g., 1975 EEC and 2016 EU referendums).
4. Resolving inter-party conflict (e.g., 2011 AV Referendum).
5. Resolving community conflict (e.g., 1998 Good Friday Agreement).
6. Achieving political goals (e.g., 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum).
Elections vs. Referendums
Differences
Frequency: Elections occur at regular intervals (every 5 years); referendums are rare and issue-specific.
Purpose: Elections elect representatives; referendums address single-issue questions.
Binding nature: Election results are binding; referendum results are advisory.
Democracy type: Elections = representative; referendums = direct democracy.
Choice: Elections offer multiple options; referendums are typically yes/no.
Similarity
Both provide legitimacy to decisions (mandates).
Referendums in UK History
Timeline Highlights
Pre-1975: Rare, e.g., 1973 Northern Ireland Referendum, boycotted by half the community.
1975: First national referendum – EEC membership; majority voted to remain.
1979: Referendums on Scottish/Welsh devolution failed to meet vote thresholds.
1997: Referendums more common under New Labour for reforms and public opinion testing.
2011: Second national referendum – AV voting system (rejected).
Election Statistics
2019:
o 421/650 seats won by absolute majority.
o 207 seats won with 40–50% of votes.
o 22 seats won with less than 40%.
2017:
o 37 three-way marginal seats (<20% vote-share gap between 1st and 3rd).
o 8 seats (7 in Scotland) had <10% vote-share gap.
2015:
o 319/650 MPs won by absolute majority.
o 50 MPs won with less than 40% of votes.
Key Terms
Constituency: Area represented by an elected official.
Plurality: Winning more votes than opponents, not necessarily an absolute majority.
Absolute majority: Winning >50% of total votes.
Strengths and Weaknesses of FPTP
1. Safe Seats:
o Strength: Candidates have majority support, ensuring legitimacy.
o Weakness: Creates wasted votes, reduces turnout, opposition votes feel meaningless.
2. Marginal Seats:
o Strengths:
Votes have higher impact due to the potential for swings.
Promotes accountability of MPs to constituents.
o Weaknesses:
Disproportionate influence on election outcomes.
Some votes matter more than others, leading to unfairness and unequal party funding.
3. Three-Way Marginals:
o Weaknesses:
Winners often lack majorities.
Minor parties perform well in vote share but poorly in seat allocation.
4. Turnout and Legitimacy Examples:
o Arundel and South Downs:
75.4% turnout, winner secured 43.5% of votes.
Strength: Winner has majority support, ensuring legitimacy.
, Weakness: Candidate lacks overall support due to turnout.
o Lanark and Hamilton East:
68.34% turnout, winner secured 28.6% of votes.
Weakness: Winner lacks legitimacy with limited constituency support.
Referendums: What, How, and Why
Key Characteristics of Referendums
Ad hoc nature: Held only when Parliament permits them.
Legal status: Advisory, not binding, due to parliamentary sovereignty.
Democratic influence: Parliament rarely ignores results due to popular sovereignty.
o Example: Despite 80% of MPs supporting Remain, 77% voted to trigger Article 50 after the 2016
EU referendum.
Reasons for Referendums
1. Entrenching constitutional reforms (e.g., 2011 Wales Devolution).
2. Testing public opinion (e.g., 2004 North East Assembly).
3. Resolving intra-party conflict (e.g., 1975 EEC and 2016 EU referendums).
4. Resolving inter-party conflict (e.g., 2011 AV Referendum).
5. Resolving community conflict (e.g., 1998 Good Friday Agreement).
6. Achieving political goals (e.g., 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum).
Elections vs. Referendums
Differences
Frequency: Elections occur at regular intervals (every 5 years); referendums are rare and issue-specific.
Purpose: Elections elect representatives; referendums address single-issue questions.
Binding nature: Election results are binding; referendum results are advisory.
Democracy type: Elections = representative; referendums = direct democracy.
Choice: Elections offer multiple options; referendums are typically yes/no.
Similarity
Both provide legitimacy to decisions (mandates).
Referendums in UK History
Timeline Highlights
Pre-1975: Rare, e.g., 1973 Northern Ireland Referendum, boycotted by half the community.
1975: First national referendum – EEC membership; majority voted to remain.
1979: Referendums on Scottish/Welsh devolution failed to meet vote thresholds.
1997: Referendums more common under New Labour for reforms and public opinion testing.
2011: Second national referendum – AV voting system (rejected).
