This is a special bonus episode, providing you with a summary of some of the key ideas we have covered during series one, and focusing on the 5 Impossible Puzzles of our political system.  

The Impossible Puzzle for Voters: 3 things, 1 vote, once every 5 years

·        a good local representative,

·        a political party which looks competent, and

·        a good Manifesto

The Impossible Puzzle for Voting:

Our First Past the Post voting system means that it is the candidate with most votes who gets elected, not the candidate with a majority of the votes. This means that we can end up electing the 'wrong' candidate

The Impossible Puzzle for Representatives

To be responsible to the people who voted for you, you should really deliver on your Manifesto. 

But to represent everyone in your constituency, you should also respond to all voters – including all the ones who wanted different things, and who voted against you.

The Impossible Puzzle for Representative Governments

ALL national governments in the UK have received less than 50% of the votes, since 1935.

Which means that more than 50% of the people who voted, actually voted AGAINST the government.

How is that a representative democracy?

The Impossible Puzzle for Parliament and Government

Parliament is supposed to be checking up on the Government, but the same political party which chose the Government, also has a majority in Parliament. That’s just not objective enough.  

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