Evaluate the view that the UK is a two party system

Three points against

1. coalitions and hung governments are becoming more common
2. devolution has produced more multi-party government
3. increasing range of parties sitting in Parliament

Three points for

1. Labour and Conservative have formed the government and opposition for over 100 years
2. FPTP prevents multi-party UK government
3. non-traditional parties are not seen as fit to govern

Multi-party system definition

a number of parties contend to form a government; coalitions become more common

P1: why are coalitions and hung parliaments more regular?

voters have interest in and vote for non-traditional parties

other parties are becoming more competitive

single issue voting has allowed some parties to gain support

P1: coalitions and hung parliaments - examples

2010 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition

2017 Conservative and DUP Confidence and Supply Agreement

P2: why aren’t coalitions/hung parliaments indicative of multi-party?

Labour and Conservative are always in government or opposition - a multi-party system would have more than two parties in these roles over time

FPTP’s geographical bias means smaller parties cannot form either as they do not have enough votes

P2: traditional party government and opposition - example

2017 General Election

Conservative and Labour shared 83% of vote and 89% of seats

P3: why does devolution produce multi-party governments?

use of proportional representation electoral systems allows smaller parties to gain power

devolved bodies are increasing in power so small parties do as well

P3: devolved body - example

STV used in Northern Ireland means there is almost never a majority

P4: how is a multi-party system prevented for UK Parliament?

FPTP is majoritarian and has a geographic bias

government almost always has a majority

seats in devolved parliaments are not reflected in Commons

P4: non-transferrable seats - example

SNP has 64 seats in the Scottish Parliament but 44 in Commons

P5: why is the range of parties in Commons increasing?

single issue voting is more common so single issue parties gain traction

some MPs have defected to non-traditional parties

P5: defection and single issue voting - examples

2015 General Election

33% of vote for non-traditional parties - encouraged by Brexit, environmental concerns

Sarah Wollaston defected to ChangeUK

P6: why do non-traditional parties not gain more support?

they are not seen as fit to govern - may not have enough MPs or experience, only policy for a single cause

if the issue is resolved they lose relevance

P6: unfit to govern and single issue - examples

only 5% of voters trust Liberal Democrats with the economy

UKIP had two seats (initially due to defection) and lost the last one in 2017