The Know Daily - Tuesday 2 June 2026

_{Read in 4m 09s ∙ Listening to Meghan Patrick ∙}

Here’s something adorable to start your day: scientists exploring near the Galápagos Islands have discovered a tiny blue octopus unlike any seen before 🐙 Barely bigger than a golf ball, the little deep-sea cutie looks like it was designed by Pixar!

🗳️ First past the post

The UK's general elections are decided using a voting system called first past the post. While it's simple and familiar, British politics is becoming increasingly multi-party, prompting renewed debate about whether it still reflects how people vote.

How does first past the post work?
The UK is divided into constituencies, and voters choose one candidate. The candidate with the most votes wins the seat – even if they receive less than 50% of the vote. That means a candidate doesn’t need a majority to win, only more votes than anyone else in that constituency. If several parties split the vote, someone can be elected with a relatively small share of overall support.

Why is it controversial?
Supporters argue first past the post is simple, produces clear results and usually leads to stable governments with a strong parliamentary majority. Critics, however, say it can distort the relationship between votes and seats. As highlighted by The Guardian, parties can win a large majority in Parliament despite receiving well below half of the national vote, while smaller parties can receive millions of votes but end up with relatively few MPs. 

Why are people talking about it now?
The debate has become more prominent as British politics has become more fragmented, with support spread across Labour, the Conservatives, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and nationalist parties. Recent elections have reignited questions about whether first past the post still works in a multi-party political landscape. As the BBC has reported, growing support for smaller parties means election results can increasingly look very different from the overall national vote share.

What’s the alternative?
The main alternative usually discussed is proportional representation (PR). Under PR systems, seats are allocated more closely in line with each party’s share of the vote. There are different versions of proportional representation used around the world, as well as in parts of the UK for devolved elections. Supporters argue it creates fairer representation, while critics say it can lead to coalition governments and make election outcomes less straightforward.

So is it likely to change?
Not anytime soon. Changing the voting system would require major political backing and legislation, and there is currently no consensus among the largest parties. But as debates around electoral reform continue, first past the post is moving from a niche constitutional issue to a much more mainstream political conversation.

♻️ Waste companies have called for a £5 deposit to be added to vapes, arguing it would encourage more people to return them for recycling rather than throwing them away. 

• The bigger story: The industry says discarded vapes are becoming a growing problem for waste and recycling centres because their lithium batteries can cause fires if damaged or incorrectly disposed of. A deposit scheme would allow consumers to reclaim £5 when returning used devices, similar to bottle return schemes already used in some countries. The proposal comes a year after disposable vapes were banned, with waste firms arguing that further measures are needed to improve recycling rates.

🇲🇾 A ban on social media for children under 16 was introduced yesterday across Malaysia. 

🦩 Venice’s flamingo numbers have surged – peaking at almost 24,000 – after ecological efforts to restore damaged wetlands that could help expand their habitat.

🎾 A tennis icon has confirmed her return to the sport almost four years after her last competitive appearance.

🚊 Tube strikes have been confirmed this week after the RMT union “instructed” train drivers not to go to work – check out which lines are affected here.

💚 Forget “Brat” summer, Charli XCX has officially entered a new era after announcing her new album set to drop in July. 

🏝️ You can live rent-free on a beautiful Greek island but there’s one important condition. Clue: cat-lovers will be in heaven!

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Trivia answer: A) Deadline has reported that the BBC has committed to reimagining the iconic detective once more.

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