Two-party politics

Every five years, British people over the age of 18 can vote in a general election. People vote for a candidate they want in their constituency (region). The candidate who wins becomes the MP in the House of Commons, even if he or she gets only one vote more than the candidate who is second. This is called the first past the post system.

The first past the post electoral system in Britain promotes the two most powerful parties at the expense of the smaller parties. Since the 1920s, the two main parties have been the left-wing Labour Party and the right-wing Conservative Party.

The liberal Democrats, a centre party, are not happy with current first past the post electoral system. This is because it is a party which does not win many seats in Parliament, but comes second in many constituencies. It would prefer a system of proportional representation, in which number of MPs is based on the number of people who vote for a party in the whole of the country. Since the 18^th century, the two main parties have sat facing each other in the House of Commons. Sitting on the front benches are the leading members of the government.

Opposite them sit the most important members of the main opposition party. The House of Commons still looks almost the same today.