12:00 09 April 2015

Matt Adams

The new British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) with the new Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg on the steps of 10 Downing Street in central London, before getting down to the business of running the country. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday May 12 2010. The pair went to work hours after finally putting together their historic Tory/Lib Dem coalition government. See PA story POLITICS Coalition. Photo credit should read: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

The recent Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government was the first the UK had seen since 1945, marking a dramatic shift in the political landscape which has become even more pronounced over its five years in power.

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With this in mind, we asked the members of our election team whether they thought UK politics has been better or worse for having a coalition? And if the prospect of a second coalition was worrying?

Student Spencer Caminsky, 17, said: I think UK politics has been significantly worse off for having a coalition, as majoritarian governments get a lot more reform done than any coalition could.

Take the Blair government in 1997: their confident and enthusiastic leader, huge promises for reform and incredible backing from the mass media gave them a huge majority come the General Election. In the end, they won with a 179 majority in the Commons.

This was incredible for Labour, allowing them to not only pass virtually any law they wanted due to their power in Parliament, but the absolute majority also allowed them to keep virtually every promise they made to the electorate. From Education Action Zones and the Education Maintenance Allowance to benefit lower-class students in the education system, to massive constitutional reform in the Constitutional Reform Act, in devolution and the compliance with the Human Rights Act, the electorate was kept happy and political enthusiasm was on a tremendous high.

More:

Better off together? Our election team evaluates the coalition government