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Should We Replace The First Past The Post Election System ?

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Can anyone give a good example of two parties sharing power in the UK? You know, one where one of the parties wasn't damaged to the point the next election saw their numbers of MPs reduced to a fraction and the party leader quitting.

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to answer the question : yes, obviously.

 

under fptp, parties get 100% of the power, from less than half the vote - it's clearly not democratic.

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1 hour ago, andyofborg said:

isn't the way to improve that a radical return of power to the nations, regions, counties, citites, towns and vilages which meant local politicians could actually do things to improve the lot of their citizens and people would have a real choice of alternatives?

I strongly believe in regional parliaments, not the regional Mayors, local income tax or something similar.

Trouble is that we are relying on Boris Johnson to change things, he will not do anything unless it favours himself.

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3 hours ago, El Cid said:

I strongly believe in regional parliaments, not the regional Mayors, local income tax or something similar.

I think regional parliaments would just add another layer of complexity to what is already fairy complex and why should the rate of income tax be dependant on where people live? I'm with you on regional Mayors though as they just seem to be a waste of space and money.

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One way to improve the FPTP system would be to add just a single feature of the French system.

1. UK elections run as at present.

2. If one candidate obtains > 50% of the total votes cast, he/she wins.

3. If no candidate obtains > 50% of the total votes cast, there's a run-off election.

4. That's held two weeks later, with only the top two candidates involved.

5. So one of them then has, by definition, to obtain > 50% of the total votes cast.

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8 minutes ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

One way to improve the FPTP system would be to add just a single feature of the French system.

1. UK elections run as at present.

2. If one candidate obtains > 50% of the total votes cast, he/she wins.

3. If no candidate obtains > 50% of the total votes cast, there's a run-off election.

4. That's held two weeks later, with only the top two candidates involved.

5. So one of them then has, by definition, to obtain > 50% of the total votes cast.

It would barely improve it at all since it would still so massively favour Labour and the Conservatives that we'd still effectively have a two party system.

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2 hours ago, altus said:

It would barely improve it at all since it would still so massively favour Labour and the Conservatives that we'd still effectively have a two party system.

Correct nothing would change the other parties will still be in the shadows.

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37 minutes ago, GabrielC said:

Correct nothing would change the other parties will still be in the shadows.

 

Is it because of FPTP or simply because they have nothing to offer the voters. 

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The big problem and the main reason why every National and local election is essentially a 2 Horse race between Labour and the Tories, is because Nationally the likes of the Liberals and the Greens have no policies that matter to the electorate.

 

Especially at the moment when all the Tories are concerned with is the total load of bobbins that is/was Brexit.

 

 

Edited by Mr Allen
Typos

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14 minutes ago, apelike said:

 

Is it because of FPTP or simply because they have nothing to offer the voters. 

Yes FPTP prevents smaller parties from showcasing their policies people do vote for  the SNP, Greens and other parties so clearly someone does agree with their policies they simply don't get an foot in the door to show the electorate what they ideas can do for society.

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11 hours ago, apelike said:

I think regional parliaments would just add another layer of complexity to what is already fairy complex and why should the rate of income tax be dependant on where people live? I'm with you on regional Mayors though as they just seem to be a waste of space and money.

Why should home owners be the only ones to pay a local tax, why should a person living alone pay a local tax, yet four adults sharing pay much less?

Person living alone = £750, where as for adults would pay £250 each if sharing the council tax.

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14 hours ago, butlers said:

The 2015 election.

66 percent turn out.

 

Tories got 37 %of the vote

 

Got 51%of the seats.

 

Interesting example.

Perhaps a more telling figure is the 2005 election.

61.4% turn out

 

Labour got 35.2% of the vote. ( the lowest winning percentage to date )

 

Still got at least 57.7% of the seats.

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