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AS Government and PoliticsAS Government and Politics

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Elections in the UK

Revised: Summer 2005

UK Elections – how many chances to vote?

ParishElections

Mayoral Elections

European ParliamentElections

BoroughCouncil

Elections County Council

Elections

Parliamentary

Elections(General

Elections)

Northern Ireland

Assembly

ScottishParliament

,Welsh

Assembly

Can he vote?NONO

•Member of the House of Lords

•Detained under Mental Health Act

•In prison

•Conviction of corrupt / illegal electoral practice in last five years

YESYES

•Over 18

•On the electoral register

•Commonwealth citizen, Rep. Of Ireland citizen – resident in UK

•UK citizens living abroad up to 20 years

Which means . . .

He can’t vote . . . But Kylie can . . .

It’s useful to know a bit of the history…

•1832 – Great Reform Act

•1867 – Second Reform Act

•1884/5 – Third Reform Act

None of the 19th century reforms gave women the vote.

By the end of the 19th century only 28% of the adult population had the opportunity to vote.

Property became less an less important as a qualification to vote.

and in the 20th century . . .

‘Votes for Women’

•Women had been campaigning since 1867.

•Suffragettes and Suffragists organised campaigns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

•The campaign was disrupted by World War One, yet the political argument appeared to have been won.

Representation of the People Act 1918

•Electorate rises from 7.7m to 21.4m.•All men over 21 and women over 30given vote.

Equal Franchise Act 1928•Women given vote on same termsas men.•5m new voters created.

Representation of the People Act 1949

•Business & undergraduate votesabolished.•6 month residence qualification removed.

Minimum voting age lowered to 18 in 1969.

Who can stand for Parliament? Aged 21 or over?Aged 21 or over? A British citizen?A British citizen? Bankrupt?Bankrupt? A member of the judiciary?A member of the judiciary? In prison?In prison? A vicar?A vicar? Member of the Lords?Member of the Lords? Police officer?Police officer? In the army?In the army? A civil servant?A civil servant? Local government officer?Local government officer?

You also need . . .

•Nomination papers•£500 deposit

• Strict spending limits.•Election spending is audited.•Neill Report (1988) - recommended cap on election spending.

Lord Neill

The UK electoral system A simple plurality A simple plurality

system known as ‘first system known as ‘first past the post’.past the post’.

650 single member 650 single member constituencies send constituencies send one MP each to one MP each to Westminster.Westminster.

Candidate with largest Candidate with largest number of votes in a number of votes in a constituency wins.constituency wins.

Party with greatest Party with greatest number of seats in number of seats in Parliament wins.Parliament wins.

It works like thisIt works like this

(2005 Election)(2005 Election)LabourLabour

35.3% of votes cast.35.3% of votes cast.

356 seats.356 seats.

ConservativesConservatives

32.3% of votes cast.32.3% of votes cast.

198 seats.198 seats.

Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats

22.1% of votes cast.22.1% of votes cast.

62 seats.62 seats.

Local electionsLocal elections Same electoral system Same electoral system

as Parliament.as Parliament. Councillors elected for 4 Councillors elected for 4

year terms.year terms. Different councils elect Different councils elect

councillors at different councillors at different times.times.

Turnout - poor (35% in Turnout - poor (35% in 2002) a major issue for 2002) a major issue for local politics.local politics.

Some experiments with Some experiments with postal & online voting.postal & online voting.

European electionsEuropean elections Held to elect Members of Held to elect Members of

the European Parliament the European Parliament (MEPs).(MEPs).

UK has 87 MEPs.UK has 87 MEPs. Elections every 5 years.Elections every 5 years. ‘‘Closed list’ system.Closed list’ system. Lords, clergy may stand.Lords, clergy may stand. Possible to stand in Possible to stand in

country NOT your home country NOT your home state.state.

Turnout poor (24% in Turnout poor (24% in 1999).1999).

Local & European Elections

Scottish Parliament Elections First elected in 1999First elected in 1999 Elected by Additional Member SystemElected by Additional Member System 129 MSPs129 MSPs 73 Constituencies73 Constituencies 73 MSPs – elected by simple majority73 MSPs – elected by simple majority 56 MSPs – elected in regions by closed list56 MSPs – elected in regions by closed list Each voter casts two votesEach voter casts two votes 1999 – Conservatives win NO seats in 1999 – Conservatives win NO seats in

constituencies yet gained 18 seats through constituencies yet gained 18 seats through closed list top-up in regions.closed list top-up in regions.

1999 election – no overall majority – Scottish 1999 election – no overall majority – Scottish Parliament is therefore a coalition.Parliament is therefore a coalition.

Welsh Assembly First elected in 1999First elected in 1999 Elected by AMSElected by AMS 60 MWAs - 40 constituencies60 MWAs - 40 constituencies 40 MWAs elected in constituencies by simple 40 MWAs elected in constituencies by simple

majoritymajority 20 MWAs elected in regions using closed list20 MWAs elected in regions using closed list Each voter casts two votesEach voter casts two votes 1999 – Conservatives won 1 seat in 1999 – Conservatives won 1 seat in

constituencies topped-up to 8 through the constituencies topped-up to 8 through the regionsregions

1999 election – no overall majority1999 election – no overall majority Lib-Lab coalitionLib-Lab coalition

Northern Ireland Assembly Product of the 1998 Good Friday AgreementProduct of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement Assembly has 108 membersAssembly has 108 members Elected in June 1998 by STVElected in June 1998 by STV Turnout 69% - higher than Scotland & WalesTurnout 69% - higher than Scotland & Wales Governing Executive – 12 assembly membersGoverning Executive – 12 assembly members Assembly currently suspendedAssembly currently suspended

General ElectionGeneral Election

20052005

Case Study 2005 General Election

                        

356                         198

                        

62

DUP 9 4 0 +4SNP 6 2 0 +2SF 5 1 0 +1PC 3 0 1 -1SDLP 3 1 1 0IKHH 1 0 0 0UUP 1 0 5 -5Others 2 2 0 +2

Party Seats + - Net

2005 - Turnout

Highest – South West England – 66.6% Lowest – North West – 57.1%

Whole UK turnout – 61.3% (+ 2%)

2005 – ‘Other Parties’ Ulster Unionist Party loses four seats. The SNP increases its number of seats from four to six. Plaid Cymru goes down from four seats to three. The Green Party, while not winning any seats, won 3.5% of the vote

where they stood, up 0.9% on places where they stood in 2001. They won 22% in Brighton Pavilion.

The British National Party has slightly increased its share of the vote, but failed to take any seats.

Respect Party's George Galloway takes the Labour safe seat of Bethnal Green & Bow in east London.

Robert Kilroy-Silk, the leader of new party, Veritas, fails to win Erewash from Labour, polling just under 3,000 - only 6% of the vote.

The UK Independence Party fails to make a breakthrough in the election, despite its biggest ever campaign.

Dr Richard Taylor, Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern, holds his seat in Wyre Forest with a reduced majority of 5,250.

2005 – Conservative Manifesto

Lower taxes Less bureaucracy Tougher school discipline More school choice Cleaner hospitals Shorter hospital waiting lists Tighter immigration controls More police and prisons

2005 – Labour Manifesto

Strong economy Higher living standards Faster NHS treatment Better results at schools Tougher border protection Safer communities More family leave, childcare More aid for Africa

2005 – Lib Dem Manifesto

Put patients not targets first Free personal care for elderly Scrap student tuition fees Smaller class sizes 10,000 more police Higher pensions for over 75s Local income tax 50% top tax rate