18 named examples with their significance, drawn from the Panther database. Read them, then test yourself.
In test mode, tap an example to reveal why it matters.
The examples
2009 European Parliament Elections: BNP Win 2 Seats on 6.2% Under Closed Party List PR(2019)(tap to reveal)- In the 2009 European Parliament elections, the British National Party won 6.2% of the national vote and gained 2 MEP seats (Nick Griffin in North West England and Andrew Brons in Yorkshire and the Humber) under the Closed Party List proportional system used for European elections. In the 2010 UK general election, the BNP stood in 338 constituencies and won 1.9% of the national vote but no seats under FPTP. The contrast illustrates how proportional systems allow fringe parties to gain legislative representation that FPTP denies them - an argument deployed both for PR (fairer representation) and against it (extremist representation).
2010 Leaders' Debates: Nick Clegg and Liberal Democrat Poll Surge(2010)(tap to reveal)- First leaders' debates in UK election history (sitting PMs had always previously refused). Clegg gained significantly in polls immediately after first debate. Lib Dems won 23% of vote but only 57 seats due to FPTP. Led to Conservative-Lib Dem coalition government 2010-15.
2011 AV Referendum: 68% voted No to Alternative Vote(2011)(tap to reveal)- The 2011 referendum on replacing FPTP with the Alternative Vote system resulted in a 68% No vote on a 42% turnout. The referendum was a concession won by the Liberal Democrats in the 2010 coalition negotiations. The No campaign was better funded and ran negative ads linking AV to Nick Clegg personally; analysis suggests many voters were expressing dissatisfaction with the LibDems (already unpopular over tuition fees) rather than making a considered judgement about electoral systems. This was only the second UK-wide referendum ever held.
2015 Belfast South: MP Elected on 24.5% Vote Share Under FPTP(2015)(tap to reveal)- In the 2015 general election, Alasdair McDonnell of the SDLP won the Belfast South constituency with just 24.5% of the vote - meaning 75.5% of voters preferred another candidate. On a 60% turnout, this represents only about 14.7% of the eligible electorate actively choosing their MP. Belfast South had five significant parties competing (SDLP, DUP, Alliance, UUP, Sinn Fein) with the vote heavily fragmented. The case is one of the most extreme examples of how FPTP produces elected representatives without majority support in multi-party constituencies.
2015 General Election: UKIP 12.6% Votes, 1 Seat vs SNP 4.7%, 56 Seats(2024)(tap to reveal)- In 2015, UKIP won 12.6% of the national vote - the third highest vote share of any party - but won only 1 seat because support was spread evenly across constituencies. The SNP won 56 seats on only 4.7% of the national vote because its support was geographically concentrated in Scotland. The Electoral Reform Society estimated 22.6 million out of 32 million votes cast did not contribute to the outcome. The Green Party won 1 seat on 3.8%. Compare with 2024: Reform UK won 14.3% and 5 seats.
2019 Northern Ireland Local Elections: Alphabetical 'Donkey Voting' Under STV - 85% Effect(2019)(tap to reveal)- In 2019 Northern Ireland local elections using the Single Transferable Vote, in District Electoral Areas where two candidates from the same party were standing, the candidate whose surname came first alphabetically was elected 85% of the time, while the second-listed candidate was elected only 54% of the time. This 'donkey voting' effect - where voters rank candidates in ballot-paper order without differentiating between them - is a recognised problem with multi-candidate STV ballots. It means electoral outcomes can be influenced by accident of surname rather than genuine voter preference between co-partisan candidates.
2024 General Election: Labour Landslide, Reform Surge and Blue Wall Collapse(2024)(tap to reveal)- Labour 412 seats / 33.7% vote (174-seat majority - the largest since 1997 on the lowest winning vote share in modern UK history). Conservatives 121 / 23.7% - their worst result since 1906. Reform UK 14.3% / 5 seats; Lib Dems 12.2% / 72 seats; Greens 4 seats (best ever). Turnout 59.7% (lowest since 2001). Sunak called the election early in May 2024 and left D-Day commemorations early; Gaza-related independents won several Labour-held seats.
2024 general election - FPTP disproportionality (Labour 33.7% = 411 seats)(tap to reveal)- MERGED INTO EX-006 on 2026-05-20. Content (Labour 33.7% / 411 seats / majority 174; D'Hondt counterfactual) now lives in EX-006's ao1_long and ao2_long. Status set to Draft so this record no longer surfaces in the Twenty Key Examples Workshop pool or other example-listing surfaces, while remaining in the database for audit.
Blair's 1997 Landslide: 418 Seats, 10.3% Swing and the Sun's Endorsement Switch(1997)(tap to reveal)- On 1 May 1997 Labour won 418 seats (a 145-seat gain) on 43.2% of the vote, producing a 179-seat majority - the largest since 1935 - on a 10.3% national swing, the biggest postwar swing. The Conservatives fell to 165 seats on 30.7%, their worst result since 1906 until 2024 broke it. Lib Dems won 46 seats on 16.8%. Turnout was 71.4%. The Sun switched endorsement from Conservative to Labour ten days before polling day with the headline 'The Sun Backs Blair'. Combined Lab+Con vote share was 73.9% - high two-party concentration.
Caroline Lucas: First Green MP (Brighton Pavilion, 2010)(2010)(tap to reveal)- Lucas won Brighton Pavilion 2010 - first Green MP. She served as leader of the Greens 2008-12. Greens won 4 seats in 2024 on 6.7% of vote. Recent polling suggests Greens may be approaching 12-18% nationally.
DUP Confidence and Supply Agreement 2017-19: Minor Party Use under FPTP(2017)(tap to reveal)- Conservatives won 317 seats in 2017, needing 326 for a majority. DUP had 10 MPs. Agreement involved £1bn extra for Northern Ireland. Agreement collapsed in 2019 when Johnson gained majority. DUP later strongly opposed the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Green Party 2024 Breakthrough: Four MPs Elected Under FPTP(2024)(tap to reveal)- The Greens won four seats at the 2024 general election, quadrupling their Commons representation from one to four, on a vote share of 6.7 percent.
Humza Yousaf SNP-Green Coalition Collapse April 2024: AMS Minority Government Fragility(2030)(tap to reveal)- In March 2024, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf ended the SNP's formal power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens after the Greens criticised the SNP for abandoning a 2030 climate change target and pausing puberty blocker prescriptions for under-18s. The Greens then supported a no-confidence motion against Yousaf. Yousaf resigned as SNP leader and First Minister in April 2024 without a confidence vote being held. The SNP had operated as a minority government since losing its outright majority in the 2021 Holyrood election under AMS. John Swinney subsequently became First Minister without a public vote.
Liberal Democrat 2024 Recovery: 72 Seats and Ed Davey Stunt Campaign(2024)(tap to reveal)- The Lib Dems won 72 seats in 2024, their best result since 1923, overtaking the SNP to become the third-largest party in the Commons.
Liberal/SDP Alliance 1983: 25% Vote, 23 Seats - FPTP Disproportionality(1983)(tap to reveal)- Alliance won 25.4% of vote and 23 seats. Labour won 27.6% and 209 seats. Conservatives won 42.4% and 397 seats. SDP formed in 1981 as breakaway from Labour ('Gang of Four'). Merged with Liberal Party to form Lib Dems in 1988.
SNP Dominance in Scotland and the Nationalist Challenge (2015-present)(2015-present)(tap to reveal)- SNP dominance since 2015: won 56/59 Scottish seats in 2015 GE. Consistently holds majority in Scottish Parliament under AMS. Forms Scottish Government. Indyref 2014: 55% No. SNP pursues independence as primary goal. Nicola Sturgeon led SNP 2014-23; Humza Yousaf 2023-24; John Swinney from 2024.
UKIP 2014 European Elections: Largest UK Party in EP(2014)(tap to reveal)- UKIP won 27% and 24/73 UK seats in 2014 European elections. Won only 12.6% and 1 seat in the 2015 general election under FPTP. Cameron included Brexit referendum promise in 2015 manifesto partly to manage UKIP threat.
Votes at 16: Scotland, Wales and the UK-wide Debate(2014)(tap to reveal)- 16-17 year olds could vote in 2014 Scottish independence referendum. Extended to Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd and Northern Ireland Assembly elections. Labour 2024 manifesto pledged extension to UK general elections. July 2025 announcement of plans to implement before next general election.