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WJEC AS-Level Government and Politics 603-1979-3
The British Constitution
Topic overviewThe nature of the constitution: uncodified, unitary and flexibleStatute law as a source of the constitutionCommon law and works of constitutional authorityConstitutional conventionsParliamentary sovereigntyThe rule of lawParliamentary government and constitutional monarchyConstitutional reform since 1997The debate on a codified constitutionThe UK, the European Union and BrexitThe UK, NATO and the United Nations
The Judiciary and the Supreme Court
Topic overviewThe constitutional role of the Supreme CourtThe Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and the creation of the CourtThe Supreme Court as the highest court of appealThe separation of powers in the UKJudicial independenceJudicial neutrality and the appointment of judgesJudicial review and the doctrine of ultra viresSupreme Court rulings on constitutional mattersA separate legal jurisdiction for Wales
The UK Executive
Topic overviewThe core executiveThe roles of the Prime MinisterThe powers and resources of the Prime MinisterThe royal prerogativeThe composition of the CabinetThe roles and functions of the CabinetCollective ministerial responsibilityIndividual ministerial responsibilityPrime ministerial government and its limitsThe civil service
Parliament and the Accountability of Government
Topic overviewThe composition of the House of CommonsThe House of Lords: composition and powersThe functions of ParliamentThe legislative processPrivate members' bills and delegated legislationSelect committeesQuestions, debates and confidence in the governmentBackbench MPs and peersThe role of the OppositionParliamentary privilegeParliamentary sovereignty in practiceExecutive dominance and where power lies
Government and the Senedd in Wales
Topic overviewThe First Minister of WalesThe Welsh Government and its CabinetCollective and individual ministerial responsibility in WalesThe powers and resources of the Welsh GovernmentThe origins and structure of the SeneddThe composition and election of the SeneddThe legislative competence of the SeneddThe legislative process in the SeneddPlenary and the business of the SeneddSenedd committeesMembers of the Senedd and the OppositionDebates over the effectiveness of the Senedd
Devolution and the United Kingdom
Topic overviewThe nature and forms of devolutionThe origins of devolution in the UKThe Scottish Parliament and Scottish GovernmentThe Northern Ireland Assembly and ExecutiveDevolution in EnglandAsymmetry in the devolution settlementThe West Lothian question and English votes for English lawsFunding devolution and the Barnett formulaDevolution, sovereignty and the unionDebates over the future of the union
Citizenship and Rights
Topic overviewThe meaning of citizenshipGlobal citizenshipFreedom, equality and active citizenshipThe rule of law and protection under the lawThe rights of minoritiesPositive discrimination and positive actionThe sources of rights in the UKEquality legislation on race and genderFreedom of expression, association and religionPrivacy, liberty and the right to a fair trialConflicts between rightsDebates over a British Bill of Rights
The Protection of Human Rights
Topic overviewThe courts and the protection of rightsJudicial review: grounds and remediesJudicial review in practiceThe Universal Declaration of Human RightsThe European Convention on Human RightsThe European Court of Human RightsThe Human Rights Act 1998The Human Rights Act in the courtsEnforcing equality lawOmbudsmen and commissionersPressure and campaigning for rightsDebates over the protection of rights in the UK
Democracy and Participation
Electoral Systems in the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of elections and the language of electoral systemsFirst Past the Post: how it worksFirst Past the Post: advantages and criticismsThe Additional Member System and Senedd electionsThe Single Transferable VoteParty list systemsThe supplementary vote and the alternative voteProportionality, fairness and effects on party systemsCoalition and minority governmentKey elections in WalesReferendums in Wales and the UK
Voting Behaviour in the UK
Topic overviewThe sociological model and social classParty identification and partisan dealignmentThe rational choice modelThe valence model and governing competenceAge, gender, ethnicity and educationRegion, nation and voting in WalesElection campaigns and party leadersThe media and voting behaviourTurnout, tactical voting and volatility
Political Parties in Wales and the UK
Topic overviewThe functions of political partiesThe Labour Party: origins and ideologyThe Conservative Party: origins and ideologyThe Liberal Democrats and the centre groundPlaid Cymru and the Welsh party systemSmaller and minor partiesParty organisation and the role of membersLeadership selection in the main partiesCandidate selection and representationManifestos, platforms and the mandateParty funding, cash for influence and reform
Pressure Groups and Social Movements
Topic overviewPressure groups and how they differ from partiesSectional and promotional groupsInsider and outsider groupsAccess points in Wales and the UKLobbying and direct contact with decision-makersDirect action and public campaigningUsing the media and new technologiesFactors in pressure group successPressure groups and the health of democracySocial movements: nature, membership and methodsThe women's movement and the environmental movement
Electoral Systems in the UK
- 11 subtopics
- 33 things to know
- AS Unit 2
What Electoral Systems in the UK covers
Electoral Systems in the UK is examined in AS Unit 2, Living and participating in a democracy — participation through elections and voting. It covers the functions of elections and the language of electoral systems, first Past the Post: how it works, first Past the Post: advantages and criticisms, the Additional Member System and Senedd elections, the Single Transferable Vote, party list systems, the supplementary vote and the alternative vote, proportionality, fairness and effects on party systems, coalition and minority government, key elections in Wales and referendums in Wales and the UK.
The 11 subtopics
Each one has its own page. WJEC AS Government and Politics students sit this topic in the first year.
- The functions of elections and the language of electoral systemsFour functions elections perform in a democracy, electoral system and plurality system.Open →
- First Past the Post: how it worksHow First Past the Post works, winner's bonus under First Past the Post and duverger's law.Open →
- First Past the Post: advantages and criticismsWhy supporters say First Past the Post produces strong government, accountability argument for First Past the Post and argument that First Past the Post keeps extremist parties out.Open →
- The Additional Member System and Senedd electionsHow the Additional Member System works and top-up seat.Open →
- The Single Transferable VoteHow the Single Transferable Vote works and droop quota used under the Single Transferable Vote.Open →
- Party list systemsHow a party list system works, electoral threshold and criticism that list systems give small parties disproportionate influence.Open →
- The supplementary vote and the alternative voteHow the supplementary vote works and how the alternative vote works.Open →
- Proportionality, fairness and effects on party systemsProportionality in an electoral system, two-party system and multi-party system.Open →
- Coalition and minority governmentCoalition government, minority government and confidence and supply agreement.Open →
- Key elections in WalesRecall questions on the devolved contests from 1999 onwards, the gender balance achieved in 2003, Labour's long dominance at Westminster, and the franchise change of 2022.Open →
- Referendums in Wales and the UKFirst UK-wide referendum and why referendums are said to threaten minority interests.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
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Key term
Explain why the Single Transferable Vote is said to reduce wasted votes.
Key term
Define a plurality system.
Key term
Describe how First Past the Post works.
Evaluation
Explain the accountability argument for First Past the Post.
Key term
Describe how the Additional Member System works.
Key term
Describe how a party list system works.
Key term
Describe how the supplementary vote works.
Key term
Explain why fairness in an electoral system is contested rather than settled.
Key term
Define a coalition government.
Key term
What was the outcome of the 2003 devolved Welsh election?
Key term
Define a majoritarian system.
Numbers
How many single-member constituencies elect the House of Commons?
Key term
How does First Past the Post keep the constituency link strong?
Key term
Why is the Additional Member System called a hybrid system?
Key term
Describe how the Single Transferable Vote works.
Numbers
Which elections in Great Britain used closed regional lists?
Key term
Which elections in England and Wales used the supplementary vote?
Key term
Define a two-party system.
Numbers
Which parties formed the UK coalition government of 2010, and what prompted it?
Key term
How did Welsh Labour achieve gender balance in its candidate selections for the National Assembly?
Numbers
What was the first UK-wide referendum, and what did it decide?
Key term
Define a proportional system.
Numbers
Which elections apart from Westminster contests use First Past the Post?
Evaluation
Explain the criticism that First Past the Post produces a government without majority support.
Key term
Explain how the Additional Member System can produce two kinds of member with different roles.
Key term
State the Droop quota used under the Single Transferable Vote.
Process
Which formula is most often used to allocate list seats in the UK, and how does it work?
Numbers
Which Act replaced the supplementary vote at mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and with what?
Key term
Define a multi-party system.
Numbers
Name the coalition formed in Wales in 2007 and the parties in it.
Key term
What was the outcome of the 2007 devolved Welsh election?
Key term
What was the result of the 1979 referendum on a Welsh assembly?
Take Electoral Systems in the UK further
The same content, four other ways.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
State four functions elections perform in a democracy.
Model answer
They select a government, confer legitimacy on it, hold the outgoing government to account, and give citizens a means of representation.
- 2
What is an electoral system?
Model answer
An electoral system is the set of rules translating the votes cast at an election into seats in a legislature or into the choice of an officeholder.
- 3
Define a plurality system.
Model answer
A plurality system awards the seat to whichever candidate receives more votes than any other, without requiring an overall majority.
- 4
Define a majoritarian system.
Model answer
A majoritarian system requires the winner to secure more than half the votes, if necessary through preferences or a second round.
- 5
Define a proportional system.
Model answer
A proportional system distributes seats so that each party's share of seats corresponds closely to its share of votes.
- 6
What is a hybrid or mixed electoral system?
Model answer
A hybrid system combines a constituency element with a list element, so voters elect both a local member and additional members allocated by party share.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Electoral Systems in the UK revision questions
- Is Electoral Systems in the UK examined at AS in WJEC Government and Politics?
- Yes. It sits in AS Unit 2, which you take in the first year, so it is on the AS paper as well as counting towards the full A level.
- What does Electoral Systems in the UK cover in WJEC AS-Level Government and Politics?
- 11 subtopics: the functions of elections and the language of electoral systems, first past the post: how it works, first past the post: advantages and criticisms, the additional member system and senedd elections, the single transferable vote, party list systems, the supplementary vote and the alternative vote, proportionality, fairness and effects on party systems, coalition and minority government, key elections in wales and referendums in wales and the uk. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Electoral Systems in the UK organised?
- By the WJEC 603-1979-3 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Electoral Systems in the UK, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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