does the UK have a two-party or multi-party system?

a03

multi-party system

theme 1

governments

weak 1

from 1979 to 2010, britain had only one party in government

• blair 1997-2007, brown 2007-2010

strong 1

since 2010, there have been two coalition govs with third or minor parties having influence in government

• 2010= conservative / libdem coalition

• 2017= conservative supply and demand with the DUP

theme 2

seats in general elections

weak 2

conservatives and labour normally dominate the seats in HOC

• 2019 won 87% of seats → 568/ 620

strong 2

other parties have performed well in recent elections

• libdems gained 72 seats in the 2024 general election

theme 3

influence on policies

weak 3

most policies come from the conservative and labour parties

• since 1922, the government has always been either conservative or labour so they can pass their policy

• 92% of bills passed 2019-21 were government bills

strong 3

in recent years, other parties have driven the political agenda

• though UKIP won only 1 seat in the 2015 GE with 12.6% of the vote, its influence shifted the conservative party in a more eurosceptic direction

• Reform UK’s growing popularity reflects the shift in immigration fear and represents a more RW shift in the conservative party

theme 4

elections for political bodies outside of westminster

weak 4

conservatives and labour have done well in elections outside of westminster

• 2021 senedd election= welsh labour won 30/60 seats → next largest were conservatives at 16

strong 4

devolved bodies have seen other parties do well

• Holyrood 2021= snp won 64 seats and cons won 31, and lab 22 → power-sharing agreement between the SNP and 2 Green MSPs, who were appointed as junior ministers