Explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of First-Past-The-Post.

First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) is used during the UK general elections, which take place every five years under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011. Under this electoral system, each constituency elects one MP to Parliament on a plurality basis (meaning that the MP that wins the most votes is elected to Parliament). A key advantage of FPTP is that it is simple for the UK-wide electorate to understand in comparison to some proportional electoral systems which require candidates to be ranked in order of preference. Moreover, it allows for a strong link between the MP and the constituency to be developed during their term in Parliament. Again, this is in comparison to other proportional electoral systems, such as the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system used in Scotland, where constituencies elect more than one MP to the Scottish Parliament. The plurality nature of FPTP also produces a clear winner within constituencies, making it a quick and efficient electoral system.

However, one key disadvantage of FPTP is that it is not a proportional electoral system, thus the percentage vote share gained by a political party is not always reflected in the number of seats that they obtain in Parliament. Indeed, critics argue that it favours a two-party system of government which makes it difficult for a multi-party system to develop within the UK. Evidence for this can be seen from the election results in 2005 and 2010 when assessing the Liberal Democrat’s percentage of the vote share in comparison to the number of seats that they won. For example, in 2005, the Liberal Democrats won 22% of the vote share and yet just 9% of the parliamentary seats. In 2010, they won 23% of the vote share, but just 8% of the seats. Nevertheless, others argue that a plurality system allows for a stronger government to form, with a clear majority. This thus lessens the probability of politically unstable situations from arising, such as hung parliaments or coalition governments. However, in recent years, the growth of the public's awareness of third parties, such as the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, the Green Party and UKIP, effectively challenges the continued relevance of the FPTP system.