Electoral Systems in Context: United Kingdom
Lundberg, T. C. (2017) Electoral systems in context: United Kingdom. In: Herron, E. S., Pekkanen, R. and Shugart, M. S. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780190258658. There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/124161/ Deposited on: 7 September 2016 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk ‘Electoral Systems in Context: UK’, by Thomas Carl Lundberg, Lecturer, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow The Oxford Handbook of Electoral Systems, edited by Erik Herron, Robert Pekkanen and Matthew Shugart, Oxford University Press, 2016 Abstract: The United Kingdom (UK) is well known for the single-member plurality (SMP) or, more colloquially, the first-past-the-post, electoral system. Devolution of power in the late twentieth century, however, introduced new bodies and positions with new electoral systems, with the total reaching six. These consisted of three majoritarian systems – SMP, block vote, and supplementary vote – as well as three proportional systems – single transferable vote, mixed-member proportional representation, and regional list proportional representation. Sample election results are presented and examined. Despite the presence of several different electoral systems and party systems in the UK with the development of multilevel governance, SMP appears to be entrenched at Westminster, just as SMP systems abroad have, in most cases, also resisted change. Keywords: block vote; mixed-member proportional; proportional representation; single- member plurality; single transferable vote; supplementary vote; United Kingdom Introduction: Continuity and change The United Kingdom (UK) is well known for what many political scientists call the single- member plurality (SMP) electoral system1.
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