The third alternative system is the hybrid system and this contains two main forms, the Additional Member system and the Alternative Vote Plus system. A mixture of systems is combined, with the Additional Member system mixing the plurality system with the proportional system. The country is divided into constituencies and the simple majority elects a candidate to each constituency. Remaining seats are allocated from Regional party lists depending on the proportion of vote for each party. The Alternative Vote Plus system is very similar to the previously mentioned system, with the only real difference being the use of the Alternative Vote system for elections to the single-member seats. The disadvantages of these hybrid systems are that two classes of representative are created. Also due to constituencies only electing half of the representatives the constituencies are very large and connections with local representatives is remote. Clearly these systems produce a coalition government that promotes the rise of smaller, minority parties, and this in itself is a disadvantage, because these can be weak and indecisive governments who ultimately have no strong leadership.
These disadvantages of other voting systems contribute to the debate over reforming the UK general election system and they demonstrate that alternative systems to the plurality system have considerable flaws, which would hinder a political system if it were introduced.
Recent progressions in the step to electoral reform also seem to favour the case against reforming the system. In 1990 the Labour Party set up the Plant Commission to investigate possible systems of reform and recommendations were announced with many of these proposals later being introduced. This was however focusing on regional or European elections and it was only later in the Jenkins Report that the issue of reform the electoral system for general elections was addressed. This report suggested introducing preference voting and ranking the candidates with the redistribution of second preference votes after the elimination of the lowest ranked candidate if the 50% margin was not reached. This would only be used for 80-85% of the seats and the remaining 15-20% of the seats would be top-up MPs based on the overall vote each party gets so that parties were not under represented. These recommendations have never been extended beyond the report and there has been an obvious slow in the rush for electoral reform. This is partly down to the cooling of Labour’s support for the reforms to be introduced. They initially were enthusiastic about the Jenkins Report but recent experience, such as new systems in Scotland and Wales failing to give Labour any sort of advantage and often hindering them, have altered there view. The change in the voting system would threaten the recent Labour majority and also the party have become divided over the issue, therefore suggestions for reform have recently been pushed into the background to avoid embarrassment for the current government. The Conservatives have always worked against reforming the electoral system and they are clear on their stand as William Hague demonstrates with him claiming that proportional representation, ‘is a system of unfair votes and it takes political power away from the electorate and gives it to small parties’. The Liberal Democrats obviously support electoral reform because it would clearly aid them in gaining more seats however they do not have considerable influence and so their support for reform by no means outweighs the apparent cautious nature of the two main dominant political parties who seem to lean further towards the case against electoral reform.
The recent referendum on reform for regional assembly suggest that the public are disinterested in reforming the electoral system. Despite this not being directly linked to reforming the general election system it does demonstrate a certain lacking of enthusiasm for this political topic among the public. After there was a resounding ‘no’ vote against the introduction of regional assemblies, further referendums have been cancelled which is positive for those who are against reform because it demonstrates that the government are weakening on the strive for electoral reform, of any form. John Prescott’s proposals were met with a 78% to 22% vote against the reforms, but the significant figures come when looking at the turn out, which was 47.8%. This suggests that the issue failed to catch the electorate’s imagination and does not bode very well for any further referendums Labour are planning for electoral reform for the general election because it shows that there is no enthusiasm for change. Peter Mandelson summed up public opinion in his statement after the referendum when he said, ‘It is an idea whose time has gone, if it ever arrived. I happen to see an argument for it but the public don’t embrace it and I don’t think it is going to come back in that form.’ This demonstrates how the idea of electoral reform, of any sort, has lost its appealing factor and the resigned nature of Mandelson’s comments suggest that reform will be left alone for the time being, which favours the anti-reformists case.
The case against reforming the electoral system for general elections is strong and it has been demonstrated through the advantages of the current plurality system, as well as the disadvantages of any other possible alternative systems that there is no need for reform and any possible reform introduced would not necessarily improve the political system. Recent experiences also suggest that electoral reform would either not be successful or would not gain the support needed to implement it because the public are not interested in the issue. Despite those favouring reform producing arguments which claim that the plurality system wastes votes, it is the minority’s choice and that it could create an electoral dictatorship, the success of the First Passed The Post system is evident and as George Foulkes highlights in his comment, ‘Our present voting system at least ensures that government decisions are made by the party which has the most votes, admittedly the largest minority’, it is the best choice to produce a strong and reliable government and choices have to be made in politics because you can never find a fully democratic system.