Common Sense Journalism

Author: labbott858

  • Politics by the people, for the people: Has ‘First Past the Post ‘voting become outdated?

    Politics by the people, for the people: Has ‘First Past the Post ‘voting become outdated?

    The current UK political system has been in place since the 1950s, and the voting method, namely First-Past-the-Post, has been a focus of conversation for years. Voters, on Election Day, choose an MP to represent their constituency within parliament, however the total number of MP’s country wide determines the election winner. This creates a problem, where people either vote for their favorite party at the cost of a poor MP, or vote for their favorite MP at the cost of their desired government.

    This has led to outcomes, where a party can receive the majority of national votes, but not win the election overall. First-Past-the-Post has therefore become a subject of debate, with the alternative option of Representative voting has garnered support.

    Proportional Representative voting, means that if a party won 40% of the votes they would then be allocated 40% of the governmental seats. This to many people, seems like the fairer and more accurate display of the national voting intention. However it comes with downsides as well. Proportional voting would allow voters from the other side of the country to influence your local MPs and vice versa.

    Either method of election has both pros and cons, and each can be argued for in turn. Yet as the current system stands First-Past-the-Post does work, and has done so for a long time. It is a personal question as to which would be more efficient in deciding the country’s government.

  • Rise of Reform UK: The breeding ground of divisive populism

    Rise of Reform UK: The breeding ground of divisive populism

    The best way to categorise how reform has garnered such a large and devoted support base is through the lens of populism. Various scholars, such as Ernesto Laclau, and Cas Mudde, set out a list of requirements that Reform encapsulates.

    Firstly, populists attempt to define a homogeneous body, who are the true people of that country, what their culture is, and what they look like. In Reform’s case, this is white British nationals, especially the working class. Secondly, Populism is anti-establishmentarian, moving away from the status quo of usual politics, offering a new pathway to successful representation. Reform epitomises this technique, critiquing the two-party dominance of Labour and the Conservatives. Finally, it requires a charismatic leader, who, for Reform, is Nigel Farage. These factors are the foundation for a successful populist party.

    Reform UK is by definition a populist party, claiming to represent the true popular will of the people, against the government that no longer represents the public. The environmental conditions of UK politics have opened the floodgates for parties like Reform to appeal to the previously secure support bases of other parties. Poor economic conditions, scandals and wars have ruined public trust in politics, and thus a new divisive party becomes very appealing.

    Image: Member of the European Parliament Nigel Farage speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbour, Maryland taken by Gage Skidmore. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nigel_Farage_(33149364955).jpg

    Populism as a political methodology has existed for a long time; in recent years, especially with the emergence of social media, it has become more prominent in modern politics. Figures like Farage and Trump use tactics to divide political landscapes, in turn rendering support for their party and discrediting their opponents.

    Reform’s popularity is owed to its method of politics, polarised and divisive, accumulating a wide base of popular support merely from being different. This is not to say that Reform are the only UK populist party, the Green party could also be considered as such. However, Reform’s rhetoric is extremely harmful both to UK politics and to a large number of people who do not fit into their ‘perfect’ Britain.

  • Personal Politics: the emotional response to political choice

    Personal Politics: the emotional response to political choice

    In recent years especially with the rise of social media, Individual political opinions have become intertwined with one’s character. By aligning yourself with a political party, in today’s world, means to associate your core morals with that of the party itself. In many ways this removes the subjectivity of politics, and makes voting an extremely personal thing.

    The true primary reason for the personification of political views is divisive and polarised politics. The more extreme or unorthodox the party, the more debate and division ensues. In UK politics, for example, the recent local council elections saw an abandonment of the traditional two parties, in favour of the more radical Reform UK and the Green Party. This is due to the current state of the system, and the dissatisfaction and discontent with current politics. In short the people feel underrepresented and thus over represent themselves.

    Personal politics through social media

    The personalisation of politics is not exactly a new phenomenon and has been shown throughout history in movements such as the suffragettes. Where politics was an extremely personal matter, one that could provide them the opportunity that the current system did not. As beneficial as it can be, it equally can be destructive, especially among friends and family. The politics itself is divisive and embodying such sentiments often leads to conflict.

    So why does it matter? Politics is an individual right, if you are a citizen and over the age of 18, you have the right to decide who governs our country. That is real power. Voting and holding the government accountable is the foundation of modern democracy, a choice that is always personal. Yet in the time of constant media updates and conversation , it’s no longer personal. It is a reflection of yourself. The new world politics will continue to be over emotional issues and personified, and the world changes with it, but perhaps it’s equally okay to take it subjectively, that maybe the party and the people are not one entity.