British Government and Politics (JN 302)

The Electoral System and Civic Engagement

1. The electoral system 2. The AV referendum 3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Lecture Outline

1. The electoral system

History of enlargement of franchise:

Levellers, led by John Lilburne, during English Civil War period (1642-60) argued for popular sovereignty, extended suffrage and equality before the law.

Reform Acts of 1832 (abolished rotten boroughs), 1867 and 1884.

Suffragette movement established voting rights for women over 21 from 1928.

“The Government believes that our political system is broken. We urgently need fundamental political reform, including a referendum on electoral reform, much greater co-operation across party lines, and changes to our political system to make it far more transparent and accountable.”(Coalition Agreement May 2010)

1. The electoral system

General elections for all 650 constituencies of the House of Commons take place every five years.

Elections take place on Thursdays. Completion of electoral registration forms is

compulsory but voting is not. General election voting restricted to citizens of

Britain, the Irish Republic and Commonwealth countries normally resident in the UK (but not EU citizens resident in the UK – although they can vote in local and European elections).

1. The electoral system

Voting system – first-past-the-post: the candidate receiving the most votes is automatically elected as MP.

Historically most parliaments have produced majority governments but 2010 election (Con 307, Labour 258, LDem 57) produced hung parliament resulting in Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition.

Fixed term Parliaments of five years

1. The electoral system

Regular reviews of parliamentary electoral boundaries occur every 8-12 years to monitor demographic fluctuations.

Despite this, there are large disparity in electorate sizes: Isle of Wight (110,000 voters), Scottish Western Isles (22,000). Average constituency about 65,000 voters.

Recall of MPs – allow voters to force a by-election where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition calling for a by-election signed by 10% of his or her constituents.

1. The electoral system

Election Process: Election date announced, nominations for

candidates, applications for postal votes. Election day: polling stations 7am-10pm,

secret ballots, count by returning officer at local authority centre.

2010 election organisational problems, including people locked out in Sheffield Hallam (Clegg’s constituency).

1. The electoral system

Party selection processes: Conservatives: Approved candidates list

distributed to local Conservative constituency associations.

As previously noted, Cameron ‘A-list’ and open primaries (electorate vote on candidates) innovations (latter now shelved).

1. The electoral system

Labour Party Candidate lists approved by National

Executive Committee. All-women shortlists introduced in 1993. http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/m

ar/15/labour-all-women-shortlists-election

1. The electoral system

Election spending controlled by the Electoral Commission. In the short campaign (25 days before election) limit of £8,700 plus 6p per voter in urban constituencies and 9p in rural ones.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/18/tories-contingency-funds-second-poll-general-election

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/dec/13/tories-david-cameron-buy-election-campaign-spending

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/feb/19/labour-catching-tories-donations-election

1. The electoral system

Electoral Commission: Registers political parties; Monitor and police party and election finance

rules; Set standards for running elections; Provide information on voting Make sure candidates fund their campaigns in

legal and transparent way. http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk

1. The electoral system

2. The AV referendum

May 2011 the British public rejected Alternative Vote (AV) referendum: No votes 68%, Yes votes 32% (turnout 42.2%)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13297573

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/06/reasons-av-referendum-lost

Proportional Representation (PR) – umbrella term for range of alternative voting systems that distribute preferences.

Candidates win if they attract majority over 50%. If not, the second preferences of the lowest-ranking candidate are distributed to remaining contenders and this continues until one candidate attracts majority.

2. The AV referendum

2. The AV referendum

FPTP Con victory

Conservative 35% Labour 33% Greens 25% (Lab pref) Lib-Dem 7% (Con pref)

PR Labour victory

Labour win on Green preferences after Lib-Dem preferences do not give Conservatives over 50%.

Citizenship refers to: Membership (city, community,

nation-state, etc.) and rights to political participation, and issues of definition & exclusion

The practice of citizenship – voting, etc.

Positive evaluation of behaviour – e.g.: good corporate citizenship

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Citizenship – historically-informed concept T.H. Marshall’s historical narrative of citizenship

civil – 18th C – right to receive justice and exercise freedom of speech

political – 19th C – right to participate in the exercise of political power – the struggles over the franchise

social – 20th C – rights of individuals to access welfare and education and ‘share to the full in the social heritage and to live the life of a civilised being according to the standards prevailing in the society’.

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Cultural Citizenship - minimally implies ‘being included’ in culture.

Idea of cultural citizenship informs debates about national and minority languages or religions; about cultural heritage and protectionism; and about lifestyles, identities, norms, values, decency, and good and bad taste.

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Theories of ‘strong’ democracy suggest that citizen activism is intrinsically valuable.

Elite theories of citizenship believe the essential role of citizens should be relatively limited, confined principally to the periodic election of parliamentary representatives. (Norris 2002, p. 5)

Citizens should be monitorial rather than ‘informed’. (Schudson 1998, p. 310)

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Often remarked voters are increasingly disengaged from politics, distrustful of politicians and major political parties. Voting turn-outs have declined as have levels of membership of political parties.

The disquiet is really about having no say. It is about feeling disconnected because voting once every four or five years does not feel like real engagement...Politics and government are increasingly slipping back into the hands of privileged elites as if democracy has run out of steam...

Developments in British Politics p161/2

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Disillusionment with what and why? Government – limitations due to increased

global economic frameworks and policy contexts

Parties – Shrinking of ideological spectrum, suppression of individual opinions, perpetual conflict

Politicians – product of party machine, alienated from constituency, obsessed with style.

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Between 1922 and 1997 turnout had never been lower than 70%, before falling precipitately to just 59% in 2001 and 61% in 2005. While the anticipated closeness of the election (2010) outcome might have helped bring some voters to the polls, it would appear that the British electorate can no longer be relied upon to vote simply out of duty or habit.

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Theories of decline of political interest may need to be national specific and also limited to conventional political activity.

Western Europe study found that while electoral turnout had remained stable forms of political participation beyond voting had been rising dramatically, especially among the younger generation of well-educated citizens. (Norris)

Turnout across Western Europe, 1945-2003

Declined

Austria Finland France Ireland Luxembourg Netherlands Portugal Spain Switzerland United Kingdom

Stayed same

Belgium Denmark Germany Greece Iceland Norway Sweden

Source: International IDEA

Forms of non-electoral participation:

Individual/Non-active Donate money Boycott goods; buy ethical goods Sign petition

Individual/Active Contact MP or media

Collective/Active Go on demonstration Attend political meeting or group

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Are people moving away from electoral politics but engaging politically in different ways? Fuel protests (2000) Countryside march (2002)

400,000 Iraq war march (2003)

1,000,000 Make Poverty History (2005)

200,000 Occupy Movements

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Online advocacy groups like 38 Degrees, GetUp! and MoveOn:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk

http://www.getup.org.au/

http://www.moveon.org/

Structure of organizations like 38 Degrees enables broader section of the population to be politically active (without long-term, in-depth, on-the-ground involvement).

Addresses ‘time-poor’ concerned citizens – challenges dominant perceptions about wide-spread political apathy.

MoveOn says on its website that it “is a service – a way for busy but concerned citizens to find their political voice in a system dominated by big money and big media.”

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Criticisms of online advocacy groups: Lazy ‘mouse click’ activism Undermines long-standing community

activism groups.

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

3. Modern citizenship and civic participation

Task for political parties to connect with ‘ordinary’ people:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/23/labour-party-working-people-involved

The Amazing Mrs Pritchard