THERE are many uncertainties about the general election of 2015. It is the most wide-open contest we have seen in a generation, and the polls are not pointing to a clear winner.

What we do know, however, is that the arguments in favour of our first-past-the-post electoral system are quickly crumbling.

We have been told time and time again that first-past-the-post gives us majority governments which are able to act decisively once in power. It is clear that this argument is now dead.

We had a coalition in 2010 and we are almost certain to have one again this year. Indeed the way we vote in this country has changed profoundly, while the voting system has stayed exactly the same.

In 1951 more than 92 per cent of people voted for either the Tories or Labour, while in 2010 that number was 65 per cent. Despite the collapse of the Liberal Democrats, the latest polls put the total planning to vote for Labour or the Conservatives to about 66 per cent.

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party, predicts that first-past-the-post will be a big loser at these elections.

People have been voting tactically for decades. People have been told to vote for the party or person they dislike the second most to stop the people they really hate getting in — and that has given us the kind of politics we now have.

It is not just our electoral system for general elections that is likely to come under pressure.

With such large numbers of people continuing to vote for parties that are under-represented in the House of Commons, it is likely that calls for reform of the House of Lords will be louder than ever before.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have also made promises after promises on reforming the Upper Chamber, and the spotlight will be on them come May to see if actions follow their words.

Greens are also calling for a major reform of the voting system. This comes after last year’s local elections when the Greens won record results, yet were denied taking seats at local and national level because of the first-past-the-post system.

John Southworth, Green Party parliamentary candidate for Bury North (via email)