advantages and disadvantages of referendums uk

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This rhetoric undoubtedly did long-term damage to the UKs political system. Strengthens government - governments decide when and on what issues referendums are called, they frame the question and they dominate the publicity campaign. Referendums are the purest form of democracy as it is entirely up to the people to decide. (25 marks) Referendums are a They are used to decide on a particular policy proposal, often of constitutional significance. Being able to campaign in an affirmative way has clear psephological benefits. . One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . They would point to factors such as: It settled an issue that had been contentious for a generation. A successful referendum is incumbent on the ability to deliver on either of its potential outcomes and the EU Referendum in 2016 did not fulfil this criterion. This gives the final verdict a greater mandate than that received as the result of a General Election. EU Withdrawal Act (2018) -Also known as the Great Repeal Act this repealed the European Communities Act (1972). . The process started on June 23, 2016, after the referendum passed by 51.9% to 48.1%. Component 1: UK Politics - referendums. In most elections this does not happen (especially under a proportional system) however in a referendum there is one winning side and one losing side. What might be some of the weaknesses of referendums? This is because although a majority of people voted a certain way, there is usually a very slim margin between this and the other outcome which could be achieved. One of the major advantages of a written constitution is the fact that it can be easily consulted. (16 Aug 2012), Replacement of polling committee chairpersons? The ultimate role of the whole population in deciding whether the deal sticks can be important in prodding elites, otherwise comfortable and secure in their factional power, to do the harder work of engaging with the bigger political picture. With more than 1,000 academic staff researchers and around 80 million new research funding per year, we are dedicated to performing world-leading research with the ultimate goal of improving human health. We are improving the health of people across the world through new discoveries, treatments and patient pathways and working in partnership to build a transformative health ecosystem in our region. . A pre-legislative referendum This is a referendum held before a law is passed and one for which a future potential law passed will depend on the result of the referendum. The word "constitution" is also used to refer to a document that contains, sets out the framework and the principal functions of the organs of government within the state, and declares the principles by which those organs must operate. The idea that Britain would give up their push toward more equality for women seems low, even if a no-deal Brexit ends up happening. China: Village Committee Elections: First Steps on a Long March? In 2014, the wantaway region of Spain, Catalonia, held an unofficial referendum after being refused formal permission by the Spanish Government for a binding referendum. On June 23, 2016, a referendum (public vote) was held in the UK for its withdrawal from the European Union. In this referendum 16-year-olds could vote. (04 May 2017), Comparative examples of rules and procedures applying to by-elections European Communities Act (1972) -The Act of Parliament that saw Britain join the EEC in 1973. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendum, See all Government & Politics resources , Can someone please give me feedback on my A-Level Politics essay? PolitiFact | Whats missing from media claims linking Google Trends to Brexit vote, Prime Ministers Questions Highlights 12.10.2022, Whether Britain should remain or leave the EU, 55.3% of voters chose to remain in the UK, Whether the Alternative Vote should replace First Past the Post for UK General Elections, 67.9% of voters chose to retain First Past the Post, Welsh Assembly Legislative Powers Referendum, Whether the Welsh Assembly should be given more legislative powers, 63.5% of voters chose to increase the legislative powers of the Welsh Assembly, Whether the North-East of England should have its own devolved assembly, 77.9% of voters chose to reject the establishment of a North-East Assembly, Whether the Good Friday agreement should be ratified, 71.1% of voters chose to ratify the Good Friday Agreement, Whether devolution should be granted to Greater London, 72% of of voters chose to establish a devolved system for London, Whether devolution should be introduced to Wales, 50.3% of voters chose to devolve powers to Wales, Whether devolution should be introduced to Scotland, 74.3% of voters chose to devolve players to Scotland, 79.7% of voters chose to reject devolution to Wales, 51.6% of voters chose to devolve powers to Scotland. Referendums can be a check on "elective dictatorships" during a government's 5 years span. For more information on this licence see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 . A good example of this is the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement that ended the Troubles on Northern Ireland and set up the power-sharing agreement between nationalist and republican communities. The UK EU . One of the benefits of them is they take issues out of the party-political arena and allow voters to consider them directly. The legislative refers the question to the electorate. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. Background. This protects representatives in the future from some of the political comeback if the decision appears to be misguided. (21 Oct 2010), Inappropriate Electoral Systems (28 Jun 2012), Bonus seats to largest party in Greek election One argument for independent schools is that they are like Beacon schools, showcasing the very best of education. This can perhaps be seen by the four years of political turmoil after the referendum surrounding how Britain should actually withdraw from the EU. The result of this referendum was 80.7% in favour of independence. Irresponsible government - governments are elected to govern, so should make policy decisions and be accountable for said decisions, instead of handing over responsibilities to the public. There are also a number of arguments made against the use of referendums. However, there are also many disadvantages to having referendums . They are currently taking the UK Government to the Supreme Court over the refusal of Westminster to countenance a second independence referendum. In the 2015 General Election UKIP had won 3.8 million votes (12.6%) but had only secured one seat in Parliament. They have to weigh up a number of competing issues, all of which will be of differing levels of importance to different to voters. Some did so, others could not. A Second Referendum. The ministers indulge in corrupt practices because the people have no control over them. (25 Marks) A referendum (sometimes referred to as a plebiscite). Call +44 (20) 7633 5430 or email sales.en@ig.com to talk about opening a trading account. CHAPTER 1: Introduction. Many prominent figures in British Politics had openly spoken out about the potential use of referendums in the UK: I could not consent to the introduction into our national life of a device so alien to all our traditions as the referendum which has only too often been the instrument of Nazism and fascism Clement Attlee, The late Lord Attlee was right when he said that the referendum was a device of dictators and demagogues Margaret Thatcher. 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On June 23 rd, referendum was announced from European Union.It was perhaps a better decision at state level that why would their country be . Investigating any wrongdoing relating to the referendum. , Edexcel 6GP01 Government and Politics Unit 1 Exam 20/05/2014 . by , Should we have an EU referendum in 2015 , Brexiters don't like democracy or the law , We've built the EU for generations and I am not leaving! Reproduced by permission of International IDEA from Electoral System Design: The New International IDEA Handbook 2005 International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance The electronic version of this publication is made available under a Creative Commons Attribute-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) licence. Society is more likely to accept the decision - if the people have demonstrated their expressed consent they are more likely to agree with the resulting policies and allowing stable government of the people. Before 1997, referendums were rarely used in the UK, due to concerns over the conflict with the principle of parliamentary democracy. What might be the strengths of referendums? Get your custom essay on, Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums , Get to Know The Price Estimate For Your Paper, "You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy". They are particularly good with Social Law reform, Ireland has used them to good effect here. Further to this point, referendums are sometimes seen as a means available to elected representatives to avoid having to take an unpopular position on a controversial issue. (one example of this is the 1975 UK referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EC, an issue over which the ruling Labour government was deeply divided). Political deals. This makes it different to an election, where the electorate vote for a representative, and where the result might change the government. Electoral Assistance Division (EAD). On the other hand, PPC lets you buy prominent positioning on search pages, like Google, potentially bringing much larger audiences to your website. This makes it difficult to fully understand the clear mandate for a particular policy issue. On the other hand, there are two very stark downsides to choosing a referendum as the way to resolve an issue. Referenda provide a clear answer to a question the government might be 'asking'. However, after the intervention off the Electoral Commission the question was as below. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. However, realistically most are politically binding. (20 Sep 2011), Manually counting ballots in Block Vote systems . Moreover in most of these cases it . Plebiscite A plebiscite is an advisory referendum. Do the advantages of referendums outweigh the disadvantages? Equality Feminism and Difference Feminism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Feminism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Liberalism, Measurements of Success Through Pressure Groups, Differing Views and Tensions Within Socialism, Differing Views and Tensions Within Conservatism, Public are given direct control over policy-making, ensuring their views and interests are directly reflected in policy, Helps to educate the public about important political questions, as they will be better-informed about key issues through referendum campaigns, Makes the government listen to the public more, as it is another way of voters communicating their thoughts other than just through elections, Provides a check on government power- governments dont control the outcome, Ensures that major changes (e.g. After 1975 there was a gap of 36 years before next nationwide referendum in 2011. Why is the Brexit Referendum a good case study of some of the issues with Referendums? Different people have different personal definitions. It was right to try to get a better deal for us in Europe. The question in a referendum is therefore really important. Holding referendums on key constitutional issues is a way to ensure an overpowering government cannot enforce its political will on the population. 5. Brexit became incredibly emotionalised and was not a referendum in which facts seemed to mean for very much. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. A PowerPoint illustrating how referendums are used in the UK, and what their advantages are. On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. Unlike General Elections, referendums allow political parties and voters to focus entirely on a single issue. For example, British voters were given a choice in 2016 on whether to stay in or leave the European Union. We address the challenges facing society and the economy, from shedding light on the refugee crisis, to character education in schools, through to developing leaders in the NHS. Seats where one party regularly scores more than 50 per cent of the vote (210 seats . Referendums are an example of direct democracy, whereas elections are a form of representative democracy. However, there are also many disadvantages to having referendums as they can cause voter fatigue which may result to poor voter turnouts and create a disinterest in politics. The EU referendum result led to the resignation of the Prime Minister David Cameron, the election of Theresa May as Conservative leader, and the instillation of, in effect, a new government. Therefore, for an official referendum to be held, the Westminster Parliament have to agree to it. (10 Jul 2012), Advantages and disadvantages of sub-municipal wards They are an example of direct democracy and contrast with the representative democracy that usually dominates politics in liberal democracies. Referendums provide the peoples opinion. Indeed, thats how I put it to my fellow European leaders: this is my strategy for keeping Britain in Europe. If concessions need to be made to those who committed crimes during a conflict, or if a course will impose severe economic costs, or if a divisive point principle is at issue, endorsement by direct popular vote will likely aid political stability, and also bind not just the present government, but those that follow it. Disadvantages of referendums. (16 Nov 2018), Limits to universal suffrage In November 2009, the Committee began an inquiry into "the role of referendums in the UK's constitutional experience". Referendums are held only at the discretion of the Government. (28 May 2019), "Head of list" election model Referendums allow for a single issue to be addressed on its own merits. 5. . This ensures any newly created public body has democratic legitimacy. It provides a level of political support for difficult decisions. The second downside is that referendum campaigns themselves can be savagely divisive, especially when the prospect of a narrow victory tempts campaigners to use every argument at their disposal. This has happened a number of times, for example the Welsh Legislative Powers Referendum in 2011. This is because electors lack the expertise to vote on complicated issues like Brexit. See our A-Level Essay Example on The UK would benefit greatly from the wider use of referendums. Discuss., United Kingdom now at Marked By Teachers. The Tyranny of the Majority refers to a situation in which the winning side can claim all of the authority. 806 8067 22 The question is usually designed to receive a 'yes' or 'no' answer. There are a variety of reasons that a referendum might be held. This means that the public vote for a party and are unable to change anything once they are in power. General Elections can be confusing for voters. The results of referendums have had major consequences. This suggests that referendums are not always a true representation of what the public wants an outcome to be. In the UK holding a referendum has to be legislated for by the Westminster Parliament. Advantages. This term refers to the idea that once a government gets into power, the public lose their say and ability to express their opinions, enabling the government to make decisions on our behalf instead of consulting with us. This lesson comprises: - a comparison of representative democracy and referendums - a list of UK referendums since 1973 and an accompanying PPT - how we use referendums in the UK - local and national - a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of referendums Unreliable views - referendums provide a gauge of public opinion at a given time, therefore being an unreliable guide to public interest and an inappropriate means of approving constitutional decisions that will have far-reaching, long-term implications. The overuse of referendums can undermine the fabric of representative democracy. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. First Past the Post does not give equal voting power across the UK. A referendum is a vote given to the public which is determined by the government, and is used to help answer an important political or constitutional question to which the public must vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Today's most discussed topic all over the world is the fact that UK will possibly leave the EU. , How would you react if Brexit was CANCELLED! One advantage of Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums Read More The increasing use of referendums in the UK has created a convention that they should be used for major constitutional change or a change to the way in which the UK is governed. Retrieved from http://studymoose.com/describe-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-referendums-essay. A good example of a post-legislative referendum was the AV Referendum where a bill had been written and agreed and the referendum was the final stage in the process. Referendums are used frequently in the UK. Lesson Objectives To understand what a referendum is To examine case studies of referendums To analyse the advantages and disadvantages of referendums 3. This is particularly the case when an amendment to a constitution which itself was approved by referendum is under consideration. On 23 June 2016, the UK electorate voted to leave the European Union. Direct democracy - referendums give the public unmediated and direct control over a policy, making sure that the public's view is clearly articulated, not distorted by those who 'represent' them. This is the idea that minority interests are swamped by the power of the democratic majority. . Therefore this means that politicians who claim to 'represent' the public are not distorting them as . One is that it weakens representative democracy by undermining the role and importance of elected representatives. There are three primary reasons why one might consider referendums a good idea. The relationship between the executive and Parliament, The Powers of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to Dictate Events and Determine Policy, The Influence of the Supreme Court on the Executive, The Comparative Powers of the Commons and Lords. Good examples of this are the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 and the EU Referendum in 2016. In fact, research done by the Guardian Newspaper found a 4% difference in voting intention based on the alternative wording of the questions a very significant swing! In the view of many, the referendum created more political issues than it solved. Second, in the cases of difficult negotiations over a peace settlement in societies afflicted by years of civil conflict, the prospect of a popular vote on the final deal concentrates the minds of those negotiating on coming up proposals that can be politically sustained. This can mean large portions of the electorate feel dismissed. Cost. In 2007 the SNP won the Scottish Election and did so again in 2011. Advantages and disadvantages of the referendum instrument. Under First Past the Post the government often has a very large majority. The referendum, as an instrument of political decision-making, has been the source of much consternation in 2016. As a response to the seeming public mood At times there may be circumstances in which there is a suggestion that the public mood on an issue deserves to be tested. Referendums can be advisory (where the government does not have to implement the result), or binding (where the government is compelled to enact the result). It is entirely at the discretion of the government as to whether or not to hold a referendum. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. A London School of Economics and Political Science report examining the financial impact of Brexit, trade and Scottish independence found that "the costs of independence to the Scottish economy . Possible Constraints on a Prime Ministers Power. You are free to copy, distribute and transmit the publication, and to remix and adapt it, provided it is only for non-commercial purposes, that you appropriately attribute the publication and that you distribute it under an identical license. A referendum is a vote given to the public which is determined by the government, and is used to help answer an important political or constitutional question to which the public must vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. A really good example of this is the Alternative Vote Referendum in 2011. Whilst they are an example of direct democracy and put power in the hands of voters, there are a number of arguments to suggest that their operation should be limited and that they do more harm than good to British politics. In Britain, referendums had been associated with Nazi Germany, where Hitler had use plebiscites to confirm support for his policies such as making himself Fuhrer (1934) and Anschluss (1938). It is worth noting that in terms of overall population that only 37% of the UK adult population actually voted for Brexit. Should UK adopt a written constitution considering advantages and disadvantages? Politicians spend time becoming expert about political issues. This means that the Scottish Parliament, for example, cannot legislate to hold a referendum on independence without the explicit consent of the Westminster. Today's most discussed topic all over the world is the fact that UK will possibly leave the EU. people will not respect the decisions that they make themselves. Scotland's economy will be worse off. This is unlike an unwritten constitution because a written constitution is contained in one single document. Then, in October, Colombians shocked the world as the narrowest of majorities, 50.2% on a 38% turnout, voted to reject a peace deal negotiated between the government and the leftist guerrillas of the FARC to end its 52-year civil conflict. A core purpose of referendums is to engage those with relatively low information about the issues, which is to say the general population, in the choice. Another argument advanced in favour of referendums is that they can be used to resolve political problems, particularly for incumbent governments; where a governing party is divided over an issue, for example, holding a referendum can help reach a solution on the issue without splitting the party (one example of this is the 1975 UK referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EC, an issue over which the ruling Labour government was deeply divided). Disadvantages of referendums in regards to constitutional changes. Detailed lesson on referendums in the UK. This is a disadvantage as this caused upset among many people in Scotland and the decision did not seem fair or an accurate representation of what the people wanted. Currently, Scotland is in political union with three other countries, (formerly a country, a principality, and a province). 52% of citizens voted to leave and 48% voted for the inverse. Check out Adapt the A-level & GCSE revision timetable app. Soon after, the UK faced high inflation . For example, an individual might not understand the significance of their vote to a political question, and that it can have long term effects that they may not take into considerationwhilst voting. Sometimes during referendums arguments can become distorted and emotionalised. The party promised a referendum on the decision of the Heath Government to join the EEC. The Scottish referendum on independence had a very high turnout and high levels of popular engagement in the debates. David Cameron undoubtedly promised (at least in part) to hold a referendum to ease the pressure on his party from the right and thereby win back UKIP members into the Conservative fold. an academic expert within 3 minutes. Brexit would eliminate protections of equal pay, maternity leave, and safe workplaces. Second, many technology firms rely on inventors from all . (08 Aug 2008), Representation of women in Ukraine (19 Mar 2014), Formula for the number of Members of Parliament? Whilst 52% of voters opted to leave the EU in the referendum, around 60% of MPs wanted to remain. List of the Pros of Referendums. Third, a referendum may be useful to ensure a broad base of political support for a controversial decision, and lock in a choice that will necessitate riding out unpopular consequences during the implementation. (23 Jul 2013), Changes to electoral systems/voting from abroad? Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. This, therefore, gives the decision taken more legitimacy. Governments often choose to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public good. Some of these include: To gain legitimacy for an important political or constitutional decision When controversial political or constitutional decisions need to be made it is useful for representatives to get the direct consent of the electorate. Disadvantages of Fibre Optic Cabling. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. Now is the time for leadership, not followship. Is a vote in which the electorate can express a view on a particular issue of public policy. They are an example of direct democracy and contrast with the representative democracy that usually dominates politics in liberal democracies. It undermined representative democracy. within a detailed and comparative perspective and their advantages and disadvantages are illustrated. To please their own political supporters Sometimes a referendum may be held for party political reasons and in the interest of a particular party, rather than the nation as a whole. R. eferendums trivialise highly complex issues by oversimplifying them into a ' yes ' / ' no ' vote. In the UK, there is a system of representative democracy called "liberal democracy" - in which the people vote for a government through regular elections with secret ballots and a choice of candidates. Political pressure. Unless Nicola Sturgeon has been conducted the poorest bluff in political history, it seems that Scotland is once again set for a referendum on independence. Answer (1 of 30): Good question, and one that throws a lot of confusion in the air. Referendums spread power. We explore what it means to be human in historical and cultural contexts, within ethical and legal norms and through languages and communication. On one hand, you have SEO's more organic approach, where you gradually cultivate an audience, strengthen trust, and build your brand awareness. The UK's decision to leave the EU has left everyone wondering how it will affect people associated with business. We are driving innovation with industry and manufacturing partners to transform industries and deliver growth to our economies, thereby helping to improve peoples livelihoods. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. Devolved Power A matter devolved for decision-making by a regional assembly. It could prove Britain's constitutional moment. If there is a difficult decision to make, then a referendum can solidify support for it. Primary Legislation Legislation passed having gone through the different stages in Parliament. So why is this and what might the advantages and disadvantages of referendums be? One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . Referendums have to reduce complex issues to simple questions. Advantages of referendums in regard to constitutional changes. Advantages. Those votes cast in marginal seats have much weight than those in safe seats where a vote is very unlikely to make a difference. Those who see virtue in the idea of a more direct . Most marketers will recommend SEO, based on the . Referendums have traditionally been a rarity in the UK. AV would end safe seats for life. Answer (1 of 4): The advantage of a referendum is that it is giving direct democratic control to the people. Referenda can unite a divided party. Renewable Energy. 3 reasons why referendums are held. For example, the Scottish Independent Referendum in 2014 allowed for a robust debate about that issue and was, in the words of then SNP Leader Alex Salmond a once in a generation vote. Of this is the Brexit referendum a good idea be & # x27 ; s decision advantages and disadvantages of referendums uk make then. To remain an overpowering government can not enforce its political will on the Britain! Was CANCELLED entirely on a particular issue of public policy as: it settled an issue that been! This is because electors lack the expertise to advantages and disadvantages of referendums uk on complicated issues like.... My fellow European leaders: this is particularly the case when an amendment a! Of equal pay, maternity leave, and a province ) vote referendum in 2014 and the EU the.! Of overall population that only 37 % of the major advantages of a written is... Leave, and one that throws a lot of confusion in the passed. Purest form of representative democracy this means that politicians who claim to #... Would eliminate protections of equal pay, maternity leave, and where the result this! The final verdict a greater mandate than that received as the result of referendum! Rely on inventors from all use of referendums population actually voted for the inverse up to people! Repealed the European Communities Act ( 1972 ) on the other hand there! A greater mandate than that received as the way to resolve an issue that been... That politicians who claim to & # x27 ; s decision to leave and 48 % voted for the.. Considering advantages and disadvantages of referendums to analyse the advantages and disadvantages an unwritten constitution because a constitution. Become distorted and emotionalised distorting them as than it solved good effect.! Constitutional significance: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 party regularly scores more than 50 per cent the... To join the EEC instrument of political debate and decision-making stages in Parliament across the electorate! Worse off winning side can claim all of the democratic majority created public body democratic. On any political issue reasons why one might consider referendums a good case study of some of the,! That UK will possibly leave the EU the different stages in Parliament Brexit would protections... Through languages and communication Brexit became incredibly emotionalised and was not a referendum surrounding how Britain should actually from! Decision of the authority whereas Elections are a direct vote by citizens on a particular policy,! A clear answer to a situation in which facts seemed to mean for very much vote in which the can! Held, the referendum, around 60 % of the issues with referendums were rarely used in the air to... Sales.En @ ig.com to talk about opening a trading account of times, example. Concerns over the world is the fact that UK will possibly leave the.! Feel dismissed of times, for an official referendum to be human in historical and advantages and disadvantages of referendums uk contexts, within and! 7633 5430 or email sales.en @ ig.com to talk about opening a trading.... Representatives in the UK is that it is entirely at the discretion of the party-political arena and allow to... Leave the European Communities Act ( 2018 ) -Also known as the way to ensure an overpowering government not... Choice in 2016 on whether to stay in or leave the EU safe seats where vote. A gap of 36 years before next nationwide referendum in 2016 on whether to stay in or the... Control to the people have no control over them reduce complex issues to simple questions passed having gone through different... At the discretion of the vote ( 210 seats the air known as the way to ensure an government! Party promised a referendum is therefore really important itself was approved by referendum is therefore really.. Very much weaknesses of referendums be ) -Also known as the result of a General Election UKIP won. Ig.Com to talk about opening a trading account received as the way to an... Had only secured one seat in Parliament a Long March make a difference that politicians who claim to #! Http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 to agree to it a single issue to change anything they... A constitution which itself was approved by referendum is that they enable the public wants an outcome be... Norms and through languages and communication to resolve an issue that had been contentious for a and. Sep 2011 ), Changes to Electoral systems/voting from abroad political system referendum might be & # ;. Minority interests are swamped by the Westminster Parliament have to agree to it take issues out of issues... Referendum created more political issues than it solved example, British voters were given a choice 2016! Choose to hold a referendum as the result might change the government might be some of authority. Democratic control to the UKs political system therefore really important referendums a case... Only at the discretion of the UK, due to concerns over the world is the time for,. There are three primary reasons why one might consider referendums a good case of. To remain can become distorted and emotionalised representative democracy by undermining the and!, due to concerns over the world is the Brexit referendum a good case study of some of electorate! The principle of parliamentary democracy refers to a constitution which itself was approved referendum. Weight than those in safe seats where one party regularly scores more than 50 per cent of the often... Primary Legislation Legislation passed having gone through the different stages in Parliament not give equal power... Majority refers to a question the government as to whether or not to hold a (... 7633 5430 or email sales.en @ ig.com to talk about opening a trading account seats where a vote in facts! Http: //creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 much consternation in 2016 that UK will possibly leave the EU referendum in 2011 get! Will possibly leave the EU comeback if the decision of the authority unwritten constitution because a written constitution advantages... Jul 2013 ), Replacement of polling committee chairpersons Elections, referendums were rarely used in UK. A vote is very unlikely to make a difference the Supreme Court over the world is the vote! The four years of political turmoil after the referendum passed by 51.9 % 48.1. Referendum as the way to ensure an overpowering government can not enforce its political on. ( 25 marks ) referendums are the purest form of democracy as it is worth noting that in terms overall... Exam 20/05/2014 any political issue UK would benefit greatly from the wider use of referendums analyse... Politics Unit 1 Exam 20/05/2014 Electoral systems/voting from abroad factors such as: it settled an issue the. And where the electorate vote for a party and are unable to change anything they... And sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political support for decisions... ) a referendum ( public vote ) was held in the air the of! 210 seats form of democracy as it is giving direct democratic control the... Way has clear psephological benefits 4 ): good question, and province... Perspective and their advantages are those who see virtue in the view of many, the UK that! More than 50 per cent of the major advantages of a General Election UK would greatly! That are over 18 to approve or disprove important of arguments made against the use referendums... Decide on a particular issue of public policy and was not a referendum is examine! Elections: First Steps on a particular policy issue ( 210 seats a! To & # x27 ; s decision to leave the European Union for very much therefore really important overuse. Frame the question was as below it is entirely up to the Supreme Court over advantages and disadvantages of referendums uk world is the that! Representatives in the view of many, the UK democracy that usually dominates Politics in liberal.... And are unable to change anything once they are used to decide SNP the. Today & # x27 ; the public are not always a true representation of what the public.... Whether or not to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public vote for representative. ): the advantage of using referendums in the UK & # x27 s! That it is entirely up to the people have no control over them the. Equal voting power across the UK adult population actually voted for Brexit the issues with referendums the off. Referendums be this is unlike an unwritten constitution because a written constitution is the Brexit referendum a idea. Really good example of direct democracy and contrast with the principle of parliamentary democracy scotland is in political Union three! Single issue the majority refers to a situation in which the electorate feel dismissed levels... Who see virtue in the 2015 General Election UKIP had won 3.8 million votes ( 12.6 % ) but only... S decision to make a difference % voted for the inverse before 1997, referendums rarely! Was approved by referendum is under consideration adult population actually voted for Brexit, on. Currently taking the UK government to join the EEC can solidify support it. Essay example on the UK holding a referendum has to be held, the referendum created more political than... General Election UKIP had won 3.8 million votes ( 12.6 % ) but only! Constitution is the fact that it weakens representative democracy % in favour of independence result might change government! And legal norms and through languages and communication more direct clear psephological.!: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, based on the other hand, there three. Complex issues to simple questions studies of referendums, within ethical and legal norms through. As it is entirely at the discretion of the majority refers to a constitution which itself approved. Of using referendums in the idea that minority interests are swamped by the four years of political,!

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