How do UK elections work? | CNBC Explains

Summary

The video explains the UK's voting system in the context of the upcoming December general election, the first in nearly a century. It outlines how the 'first-past-the-post' system works, where 650 parliamentary constituencies each elect a Member of Parliament (MP). The party with the most MPs forms the government. The video also discusses Brexit's impact, with major parties offering different solutions. The Conservatives aim to finalize Brexit quickly, while Labour seeks a new referendum. Smaller parties like the Liberal Democrats promise to stop Brexit entirely. This election aims to break the political deadlock over Brexit.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ Britain is holding its first December election in nearly a century, with major implications for Brexit and the UK economy.
• 🏛️ The UK is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies, each electing one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons.
• 👥 All British citizens aged 18 and over can vote in the election, with around 46 million registered voters expected to participate.
• 🎯 The UK uses a 'first-past-the-post' system where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins, often resulting in single-party governments.
• 🔗 A party needs 326 MPs for an absolute majority in parliament, but due to abstentions, the threshold for a working majority is often lower.
• ⚖️ If no party secures a majority, a 'hung parliament' may occur, potentially leading to coalition governments like the 2010 Conservative-Liberal Democrat agreement.
• 🔄 Smaller parties criticize the first-past-the-post system for underrepresentation, as seen in 2015 when the UK Independence Party won 12.6% of votes but only gained one MP.
• 🗣️ The 2019 election is framed as 'a Brexit election,' with the Conservative Party promising to 'get Brexit done' and Labour pledging a new withdrawal agreement and a second referendum.
• 🌍 The Liberal Democrats are campaigning to stop Brexit entirely, offering voters a clear pro-EU alternative.
• ❄️ All major political parties agreed on holding a pre-Christmas election to resolve the political deadlock surrounding Brexit.

Q & A

What is significant about the December election in the U.K.?

The December election is notable because it's the first to take place in December in almost a century, and it could determine both the future of Brexit and the direction of the U.K.'s economy.

How does the U.K.'s voting system work in a general election?

The U.K. is divided into 650 parliamentary constituencies. Each constituency elects one MP to the House of Commons, and the political party that wins the most MPs forms the government.

What is the significance of securing an absolute majority in parliament?

An absolute majority in parliament is 326 seats. This allows the winning party to form a stable government, but the threshold can be lower in practice due to certain MPs abstaining, such as Sinn Fein MPs who don't take their seats.

What could happen if no party secures a majority in the election?

If no party secures a majority, the result could be a hung parliament. Parties may seek to form alliances or coalitions to create a working majority, as happened in 2017 and in 2010.

What is the 'first-past-the-post' voting system, and how does it work?

'First-past-the-post' means that the candidate who receives the most votes in a constituency wins the seat, regardless of whether they receive more than half the votes. It's a winner-takes-all system used in the U.K., Canada, and India.

What are some criticisms of the first-past-the-post system?

Critics argue that first-past-the-post often results in MPs winning with less than half the vote, meaning many voters' preferences are not reflected. Smaller parties also feel underrepresented, as the system doesn't proportionally reflect the national vote share.

How does tactical voting play a role in U.K. elections?

Tactical voting occurs when voters in 'safe seats' feel their preferred candidate can't win, so they vote against a candidate they dislike rather than for one they prefer. This can distort the true preferences of the electorate.

What alternatives to first-past-the-post have been considered in the U.K.?

In 2011, the British public voted in a referendum on the Alternative Vote system, but they overwhelmingly rejected it, choosing to keep the first-past-the-post system.

How are the major political parties approaching the Brexit issue in this election?

The Conservative Party, led by Boris Johnson, promises to deliver Brexit by getting parliament to ratify his deal. Labour, led by Jeremy Corbyn, plans to negotiate a new deal and hold a referendum on whether to accept it or remain in the EU. The Liberal Democrats, led by Jo Swinson, promise to revoke Brexit altogether.

Why was a pre-Christmas election considered necessary?

A pre-Christmas election was seen as necessary to break the deadlock over Brexit, as parliament had repeatedly failed to reach a consensus on how to proceed with the U.K.'s departure from the European Union.