The Politics of Electoral Reform in Britain
| Published date | 01 January 1995 |
| Date | 01 January 1995 |
| Author | Pippa Norris |
| DOI | 10.1177/019251219501600105 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
65
The
Politics
of
Electoral
Reform
in
Britain
PIPPA
NORRIS
ABSTRACT.
The
debate
about
electoral
reform
in
Britain
has
experienced
periodic
revivals,
as
critics
have
challenged
the
established
system
of
first-
past-the-post.
The
debate
has
revolved
about
how
British
elections
trans-
late
votes
into
seats,
and
how
representative
elections
should
work:
whether
priority
should
be
given
to
the
principle
of
strong
government
or
"fairness"
to
minor
parties
and
social
groups.
The
article
concludes
that
despite
a
heated
debate,
prospects
for
reform
are
uncertain
in
Britain,
since
public
opinion
about
this
issue
remains
ambivalent;
there
are
no
provisions
for
binding
referendums;
and
the
opposition
remains
divided
about
the
most
appropriate
alternative.
The
debate
about
electoral
reform
in
Britain
has
experienced
successive
waves,
as
critics
have
periodically
sought
to
change
the
established
system
of
first-past-the-
post.
The
controversy
has
been
re-energized
in
recent
years
with
all
opposition
parties
moving
towards
reform,
although
there
is
no
consensus
about
the
most
appropriate
new
system.
The
heart
of
the
debate
revolves
around
how
British
elections
translate
votes
into
seats,
and,
even
more
fundamentally,
how
represen-
tative
elections
in
Britain
should
work.
The
most
significant
recent
development
in
the
reform
movement
has
been
Labour’s
hesitant
and
uncertain
conversion
to
the
cause.
If
there
were
a
change
of
government
at
the
next
general
election,
the
prospects
for
electoral
reform
look
brighter
than
at
any
time
since
1918.
Under
these
circumstances
a
proportional
system
could
be
introduced
for
the
proposed
Scottish
parliament,
and
perhaps
for
elections
to
local
government
and
the
European
Parliament.
Nevertheless,
the
prospect
of
abandoning
first-past-the-post
for
the
House
of
Commons
seems
far
from
certain,
and
divisions
between
and
within
the
opposition
parties
could
maintain
the
status
quo.
The
aim
of
this
article
is
to
understand
the
British
debate
for
the
light
it
sheds
on
the
politics
of
electoral
reform.
The
paper
is
divided
into
three
sections.
The
first
outlines
the
standards
against
which
the
British
system
is
commonly
evaluated.
Defenders
of
the
status
quo
prioritize
the
need
for
elections
which
produce
strong
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