#GE2015: electoral system awards parties more seats the fewer votes they get

Broken First Past the Post means UKIP secures 3.8 million votes and gets one seat. The Lib Dems secure 2.4 million votes and get eight seats. The SNP secure 1.5 million votes and get 50 seats. Fewer votes means more seats.

We have a majority Conservative government with 51% of the seats, commanding 37% of the vote and only 24% of the electorate.

Time for electoral reform.

Photo: Martin Bamford via Flickr

Further reading:

#GE2015: Greens retain seat but criticise voting system

#GE2015: Lib Dem Energy and Climate Change Secretary loses seat

#GE2015: share of votes, not seats, should confer a government’s #legitimacy

#GE2015: Vote for Policies ‘exit poll’

Sustaining the UK’s Future: Environment and Sustainability at the Heart of Decision Making