October 10, 2025

De-fang the Far Right - Change the Voting system!

53 minutes

🎙️ The Temper Trap: Can PR De-Fang Farage? | with Stuart Donald

In this thought-provoking episode, Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene are joined by returning guest and data analyst Stuart Donald to discuss his latest research paper, The Temper Trap. The trio explore how Proportional Representation (PR) can be a powerful tool in limiting the influence of far-right politics, especially compared to the UK’s current First Past the Post (FPTP) electoral system.

Stuart shares compelling data from across Europe, showing how countries with PR systems—despite the presence of far-right parties—have managed to keep extreme immigration and social policies in check. Could Reform UK gaining seats in Holyrood or the Senedd actually reduce the risk of Nigel Farage becoming Prime Minister? Could PR be the key to protecting democracy in the UK?

👉 Tune in to uncover:

Why PR is more effective than FPTP in containing extremism

How European democracies handle far-right parties differently

Whether PR could be the unexpected safeguard against a Farage-led government

Key themes:

00:02:01 Background to The Temper Trap

00:07:25 Why PR drives higher voter participation

00:09:19 How FPTP allows outsiders to drag parties to the right

00:14:05 Uk health spending and child mortality is worse than EU average

00:17:06 Welfare chauvinism vs welfare nihilism

00:20:33 UK populism punishes the poor

00:27:10 How PR protects against extremism

00:32:52 Why FPTP cannot cope with neo-liberalism

00:36:57 Can Holyrood break free from FPTP mentality

00:41:07 John Curtice warning - pick the right majority!

00:44:53 Dangers of Labour inertia and possible UK routes to PR

Find Stuart's paper The Temper Trap here: https://www.compassonline.org.uk/publications/the-temper-trap-how-proportional-representation-tames-the-populist-right/

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Music:

Inspired by Kevin MacLeod

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