OK, so what happens is a bunch of candidates stand for election where you live.
You vote for them based on their policies. Depending on how many votes they get, somebody wins. We say they've won a "seat". The amount of "seats" across the country are counted. If one party gets the most "seats" (there's one "seat" per physical seat in Parliament, you see) by a particular margin, then they've got a "majority" in Parliament. The head of that party, who's elected by the party members, gets to be PM. That's elected by the party members, not you. He gets to be in Parliament because he also has won a "seat" in his "constituency".

If one party doesn't win enough "seats" to win a "majority", they have to form a "coalition". This is usually done with the party that's come third in the "seat" race.

And that is how it works. If anybody votes for any reason other than the above, such as personalities, they are an idiot. If they vote for a party based on who the leader is, who's probably based in a constituency miles and miles away from them, they're a full-blown fuckwit.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:19, 2 replies, latest was 13 years ago)

"there's one seat per physical seat in Parliament, you see"
that's not true. They're benches.
(PsychoChomp, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:21, Reply)

Sorry, one "seat" per metaphorical seat in Parliament.
Perhaps I should have said "arse-space".
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:22, Reply)

How did that work for Cyril Smith?

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:24, Reply)

Your reasoning is flawless
unfortunately one of the drawbacks of democracy is that fuckwits can vote too.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:25, Reply)

Which is why I advocate an enlightened oligarchy based on restricted power of vote.
Power to vote would be granted by an examination which would include, but not be limited to, testing you to make sure you actually know what it is you're voting for.

Many, many people wouldn't bother to sit the test.
( Kroney, Thu 10 Jan 2013, 12:28, Reply)