Voting systems in the UK
This briefing provides an overview of the different voting systems currently used for elections in the UK. It also examines the pros and cons of different systems.

As so often in the past, India’s electorate has sprung a surprise. The count on 16 May gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its presidential candidate, 62 year-old Narendra Modi, a convincing victory in the elections to India’s lower house, the Lok Sabha. On a 66.38% turnout, the BJP won a majority of the seats – the first party to do so since 1984. Author and academic Sunil Khilnani described the outcome as “a democratic asteroid.” For the Congress Party, the result is a disaster.
A 'democratic asteroid': India's elections (244 KB , PDF)
As so often in the past, India’s electorate has sprung a surprise. The count on 16 May gave the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its presidential candidate, 62 year-old Narendra Modi, a convincing victory in the elections to India’s lower house, the Lok Sabha. On a 66.38% turnout, the BJP won a majority of the seats – the first party to do so since 1984. Author and academic Sunil Khilnani described the outcome as “a democratic asteroid.” Meanwhile, the ruling Indian National Congress and its allies in the United Progressive Alliance have suffered a humiliating defeat. Some are now declaring the end of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty as a political force. Historically, the controversy over Modi’s role in the 2002 riots in Gujarat, where he has been chief minister, has led Western governments to avoid dealing directly with him. An estimated 2000 Muslims died in those riots at the hands of Hindu mobs. But this situation is changing rapidly. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, congratulated Modi on his election victory, inviting him to visit the UK.
A 'democratic asteroid': India's elections (244 KB , PDF)
This briefing provides an overview of the different voting systems currently used for elections in the UK. It also examines the pros and cons of different systems.
The briefing sets out international commitments on freedom of religion or belief, reports of discrimination, and UK international work on the issue.
The Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill would allow for the alignment of rules on absent voting arrangements between reserved and devolved elections in Scotland and Wales.