Election in Great Britain

There are five types of elections in the United Kingdom: General elections; Elections to devolved parliaments and assemblies; Elections to the European Parliament; Local elections; Mayoral elections.

Elections are held on Election Day, which is conventionally a Thursday. General elections do not have fixed dates, but must be called within five years of the opening of parliament following the last election. Other elections are held on fixed dates though in the case of the devolved assemblies and parliaments, early elections can occur in certain situations. Presently, six electoral systems are used: single member plurality system (First Past the Post), multi member plurality system, Party list, Single Transferable Vote, Additional Member System and Supplementary Vote. Thus, anyone who is a citizen of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, or of a Commonwealth country, who is legally resident in the UK, and who is 18 or over on the date of an election is eligible to vote, provided they are on the electoral register, unless they are currently a member of the House of Lords, imprisoned for a criminal offence, mentally incapable of making a reasoned judgement, an undischarged bankrupt, or have been convicted of corrupt or illegal practices in connection with an election within the previous five years.

The foundations of the electoral system were laid in the Middle Ages. Since then numerous Acts of Parliament have modified the system, but never in a systematic way. Fundamentally the system still has its ancient form. Each community elects its one representative to serve as its Member of Parliament until the next general election. If a MP dies or resigns his seat, a by-election is held to replace him. Any British subject can be nominated as a candidate for any seat on payment of a deposit of $500. But peers and Church of England clergymen are disqualified from sitting in the House of Commons. There is no need to live in the area or to have any personal connection with it. Less than half of the candidates are in fact local residents. There are usually more than two candidates for each seat, but the one who receives most votes is elected. A large proportion is elected with less than half of the votes cast.

The franchise (right to vote) became universal for men by stages in the 19^th century. Women’s suffrage came in two stages (1918 and 1928) the minimum voting age was reduced to eighteen. Voting is not compulsory. However, in the autumn of each year every householder is obliged by law to enter on the register of electors the name of every resident who is over seventeen and a UK citizen. Each register is valid for one year beginning towards the end of February. People who are just too young to vote are included in the list. They may vote at any election which may be held after their 18^th birthdays. It is only possible to vote at the polling station appropriate to one’s address. Anyone who expects to be unable to vote there may apply in advance to be allowed to send the vote by post.

In the 80s there were 650 MPs for the UK, each representing one ‘constituency’. As some areas increase in population while others decline, the electoral map, or division of the whole country into constituencies, has to be changed from time to time so as to prevent gross inequalities of representation. The maximum interval between ‘redistributions’ is set by law at fifteen years - each time subject to Parliament’s approval.

Note*

women’s suffrage - право голосу (виборче право) для жінок a clergyman, n. - священник compulsory, adj. – обов’язковий, примусовий a householder, n. - домовласник a register of electors - реєстр виборців

to be valid - бути дійсним a polling station - виборча дільниця in advance, adv. - заздалегідь, наперед, загодя, завчасно to prevent gross inequality - запобігти очевидній нерівності

Talking Points*

How does the present electoral system look like?

Where do the candidates for the election come from?

How did the franchise become universal?

Is the number of MPs variable?

Unit 8

Дата добавления: 2015-08-18