Evaluate The View That Reforms To Democracy In The UK Haven’t Gone Far Enough.

Introduction

Democratic Deficit = A flaw in the democratic process where decisions are taken by people who lack legitimacy, not having been appointed with sufficient democratic input or subject to accountability

Paragraph Focus

• Para 1 = Replacing FPTP

• Para 2 = Extending Franchise

• Para 3 = Greater Use of Direct Democracy

Para 1 - Weaker Argument = Has Gone Far Enough

• Eg. in December 2025, several MPs including Lake Akehurst (Labour) actively pressured Vodafone to address “unjust” treatment of local store franchise owners

• this shows that FPTP has very strong MP-constituency link as the MPs were able to to take and address issues of their constituents

• this delivers effective local representation, showing there is sufficient democratic input in political processes

• therefore, reforms have gone far enough as FPTP enhances rather than diminishing democracy within the UK

Para 1 - Stronger Argument = Hasn’t Gone Far Enough

• Eg. in 2024, the Labour Party won 63% of the seats and therefore commanding a majority with just 33.3% of the vote

• this shows that FPTP is very unrepresentative as it leads to MPs being voted in when they don’t have majority support

• this is because it is a simple plurality system

• This lack of representation in the constituencies translates to a lack of proportionality at the national level, with votes not translated into seats with any real accuracy

• Therefore, FPTP can be seen as undermining UK democracy due to its lack of proportionality and limited voter choice in particular

Para 1 - Evaluation

Para 2 - Weaker Argument = Has Gone Far Enough

• voter turnout is very low among 18–24-year-olds and there is little evidence that the majority of 16- and 17-year-olds want the vote

• many know very little about politics and would misuse the right to vote without better political education in schools at a younger age

• this shows that extending franchise would do more harm than good putting democracy in more jeopardy

• therefore reforms have gone far enough

Para 2 - Stronger Argument = Hasn’t Gone Far Enough

• Eg. The 2024 general election had a 59.7% voter turnout, which was the lowest since 2001 (7.6% decrease)

• Low voter turnout means that governments are elected on a reduced share of the popular vote, therefore calling the strength of their mandate into question

• this can be reformed by granting the right to vote to 16- and 17-year-olds

• this would give young people a say on issues that man a lot to them such as the Labour government increasing the university tuition fees by 3.1%

Para 3 - Weaker Argument = Has Gone Far Enough

• the 2016 Brexit Referendum, for example, was held partly to benefit the Conservative Party, as pledging to hold an EU referendum in the 2015 election prevented the party losing many votes to UKIP

• this shows that referendums can be held for political reasons and complicated by electoral politics, undermining their benefit to democracy

• this means a greater use of direct democracy would challenge parliamentary sovereignty and the effective working of representative democracy

Para 3 - Stronger Argument = Hasn’t Gone Far Enough

• eg. the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum which had an 84% turnout and the 2016 EU Referendum which had a 72.2% turnout

• this shows a greater use of referendums would improve democracy in the UK as they directly involve the people in decision making on important issues

• eg. the Scottish Independence Referendum 2014 has been praised for giving an opportunity to air a wide range of issues related to independence such as the impact on the economy

• this means that the holding of referendums between general elections gives the people an opportunity to have their say more frequently, preventing the government from becoming remote and unaccountable