Labour and electoral reform: Turkeys at Christmas

Great article in the Guardian about the prospects of the new government ditching first past the post

Some lead-in activities

1. Ask your students to reflect on the current state of UK politics and the representation of different political parties in Parliament. Encourage them to discuss their perceptions of the fairness and effectiveness of the first-past-the-post electoral system.

2. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a different electoral system (e.g. proportional representation, ranked choice voting, mixed-member proportional). Ask them to research and discuss the key features of their assigned system, as well as the potential advantages and disadvantages. Then, have them present their findings to the class.

3. Provide your students with a hypothetical scenario where a political party wins a majority government with a relatively low percentage of the popular vote. Ask them to consider the implications of this outcome and whether they believe it is a fair and democratic result. Encourage them to discuss the merits of alternative electoral systems that could address such disproportionality.

Link to the article by the Guardian's senior political correspondent, Peter Walker. But this is the best bit. Robert Ford, Professor of Politics at Manchester:

“Labour have managed an extraordinary optimisation of their support under first past the post, and having achieved that outcome they’re not likely to want to put it at risk when they don’t see a need to. Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas.”

Some low level stakes multiple-choice questions...

1. What does the text suggest about the Labour party's internal dynamics regarding electoral reform?
A. The party's leadership is strongly opposed to any changes to the electoral system.
B. The party is deeply divided, with members overwhelmingly supporting reform but the leadership dismissing the possibility.
C. The party is united in its commitment to introducing proportional representation in the near future.
D. The party's stance on electoral reform is unclear and has not been consistently communicated.

2. According to the text, what is the main argument made by those in the Labour party who support a move to proportional representation?
A. Proportional representation would guarantee Labour a majority government through coalitions with other left-leaning parties.
B. The current first-past-the-post system is undemocratic and does not accurately represent the diversity of political views in the country.
C. Proportional representation would make it easier for the party to win future elections and retain power.
D. The recent election result, where Labour won a large majority on a relatively low share of the popular vote, demonstrates the need for electoral reform.

3. How does the text characterize Keir Starmer's position on electoral reform?
A. Starmer is strongly opposed to any changes to the electoral system.
B. Starmer has previously expressed some support for electoral reform, but his leadership team has dismissed any chance of action.
C. Starmer is fully committed to introducing proportional representation in the near future.
D. Starmer's position on electoral reform is unclear and has not been consistently expressed.

4. What does the text suggest about the likelihood of Labour introducing electoral reform in the near future?
A. It is highly likely that Labour will introduce proportional representation in their first term of government.
B. Labour is divided on the issue, and the leadership is not interested in pursuing electoral reform for now.
C. Labour will amend the electoral system in some ways, such as introducing automatic voter registration, but will not change the voting system.
D. Labour is likely to wait until after the next election, when the case for proportional representation may be more compelling.

5. According to the text, how do other political parties in the UK view electoral reform?
A. The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and smaller parties all support retaining the first-past-the-post system.
B. The Conservatives and Reform UK support first-past-the-post, while the Liberal Democrats, Greens, SNP, and Plaid Cymru back a shift to proportional representation.
C. The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and SNP all support moving to a proportional representation system.
D. The Conservatives and smaller parties are divided on the issue, while the Liberal Democrats and Labour are united in their support for proportional representation.

6. What does the text suggest about the potential future political dynamics in the UK if Labour were to form a government?
A. Labour would be able to govern alone with a comfortable majority, making electoral reform unnecessary.
B. Labour would need to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats or Greens to govern, and electoral reform would be a key bargaining chip.
C. Labour would be unlikely to form a government, as the Conservative-Reform alliance would maintain a majority under the first-past-the-post system.
D. Labour would be able to govern alone with a slim majority, but would still need to consider electoral reform to ensure stability and long-term success.

7. According to the text, what is the main reason why Labour is unlikely to introduce electoral reform in the near future?
A. The party leadership is ideologically opposed to proportional representation and believes the current system benefits them.
B. The party is worried that electoral reform would undermine their recent electoral success and make it harder for them to win future elections.
C. The party is concerned that introducing proportional representation would lead to political instability and a lack of effective governance.
D. The party is focused on other priorities, such as addressing the cost-of-living crisis, and does not have the bandwidth to pursue electoral reform.

Correct answers:

1. B
2. D
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. B
7. B