yes (or at least a bit)

AV will make it more difficult for parties such as the BNP to get in (and they know that which is why they are against it)

under FPTP in an election with a low turn out an MP can end up being voted in with less than 30% of those that bothered to vote - because the other 70% is spread widely amongst the other candidates

the chances of the BNP getting enough 2nd or 3rd preference votes to get to 50%* is far, far less likely due to there being far more people that detest them

*a candidate can actually win with less than 50% of the vote as not everyone will give a preference for all candidates and so not every voting slip will necessarily go towards the count in every round

Posted By: Ralf Scrampton, Mar 31, 20:35:46