Britain is on the brink of its biggest political upheaval in a century. The general election that takes place this week has become an unofficial referendum on the electoral system itself. Britain's first-past-the-post (FPTP) system discriminates against small parties, wastes votes and encourages politicians to shape their policies to suit a handful of swing voters in marginal constituencies.
In the twilight days of empire, Britain exported its flawed voting system to countries across the globe. But while many of its former colonies have since adopted a more proportional system, Britain has been slow to change.
Demands for a truly representative British Parliament are nothing new, beginning with the Chartist movement in the mid-19th century. Then as now, the FPTP system endures owing to the support of Britain's two main parties, who benefit disproportionally from its skewering of the vote.