Activity 1: Compare and contrast vote and seat shares from UK elections held using different electoral systems

 

Learning objective: To understand the connection between electoral systems and election outcomes

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7
• Access to spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, will be helpful too
• A calculator

Outline of activity:

Search for the results of recent elections in the UK that use different electoral systems.

For elections using first-past-the-post, you can search results for General Elections, such as those held in 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2010.

For elections using the Additional Member System, you can search results for Scottish and Welsh Parliament elections held in 2021, 2016, 2011, 2007, 2003, and 1999, and London Assembly elections held in 2021, 2016, 2012, 2008, 2004, and 2000.

For elections using the Single Transferable Vote, you can search results for Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2017, 2016, 2011, 2007, 2003, and 1998.

For elections using proportional representation, you can search results for UK elections to the European Parliament held in 2019, 2014, 2009, 2004, and 1999.

Using the results, create charts for the percentage of the vote won and percentage of seats won for each party (you can limit this to those parties used for Chapter 6, Activity 1). Then make notes on the relationships you can see between vote and seat shares for the different parties.

You can transfer the charts into a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint and make notes next to them.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 7.2.2 of the book? House of Commons Library reports are also a useful source of election results.

Answer guidance:

Consider these questions:

• Which electoral systems deliver the closest relationship between vote and seat shares?
• Are there any electoral systems for which there does not appear to be a relationship between vote and seat shares?
• Are there particular parties which have benefited from or have been disadvantaged by certain electoral systems?
• What do you think are the consequences for government formation of the different systems?

 

 

Activity 2: Create a presentation on the question: ‘What has been the impact of using different electoral systems on UK politics?’

 

Learning objective: To analyse the consequences of different electoral systems on UK politics

Suitable for: Individual or group work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7
• Access to a presentation programme such as PowerPoint

Outline of activity:

Create a presentation outlining how different electoral systems have impacted upon UK politics in recent decades. You could do this individually or as part of a group (ideally containing between two and four people).

Include slides examining the consequences of First-past-the-post, the Additional Member System, and Proportional Representation systems.

Include a concluding slide in which you identify which electoral system has had the biggest impact on UK politics.

You can record your presentation and share it with other people you are studying with for feedback.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 7.2.2 and 7.3.5 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What have been the consequences of these electoral systems for the representation of political parties in various legislatures? Which parties have benefited from the various systems? Which have not benefited?
• How have these systems impacted upon the UK party system?
• What have been the consequences for voter choice?
• To what extent have they impacted upon political stability in the UK?
• To what extent have they impacted upon party ideology?

 

 

 

Activity 3: Debate the statement “The advantages of using the first-past-the-post system in UK General Elections outweigh the disadvantages. Discuss.”

 

Learning objective: To evaluate the First-past-the-post system and justifications for electoral reform

Suitable for: Pair or group work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7

 

Outline of activity:

With a partner or in a group, hold a debate regarding the statement: “The advantage of using the first-past-the-post system in UK General Elections outweigh the disadvantages”.

One side should argue the case that the advantages of using the first-past-the-post system in UK General Elections outweigh the disadvantages. The other side should argue the case that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

Take 10-15 minutes to make notes in support of your case. Each side then has up to five minutes to outline their case before the other responds.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 7.3.5 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What advantages does the first-past-the-post system have? What advantages does it have over other electoral systems?
• What disadvantages does the first-past-the-post system have? What advantages do other electoral systems have over first-past-the-post?
• Is first-past-the-post a fair or unfair system for voters? Is it a fair or unfair system for parties?

 

 

Activity 4: Create a poster outlining and assessing the effectiveness of other methods of political participation

 

Learning objective: To understand and evaluate other forms of political participation

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 7
• A piece of A3 paper or access to a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint

Outline of activity:

On an A3 piece of paper or, if using your computer, in a presentation programme such as Microsoft PowerPoint, create a poster outlining and assessing the effectiveness of other methods of political participation.

List various methods outlined in 7.3.4 and consider other ways in which people might participate in politics as well.

Write a sentence for each assessing how effective a method you think it might be and the impacts it can have.

Need some help? Why not refer to section 7.3.4 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• What proportion of people do you think might participate in such an activity? You can search for opinion poll data on this, such as that published in the Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement.
• How might these methods of political participation impact the political agenda? What advantages do they have? What disadvantages do they have?

 

 

 

Activity 5: Create an essay plan for the question: “The regulation and conduct of elections in the UK ensures these are as fair as they can possibly be. Discuss.”

Learning objective: To analyse the integrity of elections in the UK

Suitable for: Individual work

You will need:

• To have read Blick, A. (2021), UK Politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 4

Outline of activity:

Create an essay plan for the question: “The regulation and conduct of elections in the UK ensures these are as fair as they can possibly be. Discuss.”

Make notes on what you would include in each paragraph of your essay, making sure to include all sides of the argument.

 

Need some help? Why not refer to section 7.3 of the book?

Answer guidance:

Consider the following questions:

• Is the integrity of elections in the UK sufficiently protected? To what extent is electoral fraud a problem? Are sufficient barriers in place to limit this?
• Are rules around who is eligible to vote fair? What barriers are there to electoral participation?
• To what extent does the distribution and size of parliamentary constituencies promote fairness?
• Who should be responsible for setting constituency boundaries?