Democracy and Participation Flashcards
When was the Brexit referendum held, and what was the result?
The Brexit referendum was held in 2016, with 51.89% voting to leave.
What is the membership count of the Labour and Conservative parties as of 2024?
Labour has 336,000 members (March 2024), and Conservatives have 131,680 (November 2024).
How many times has the Recall of MPs Act been used since its enactment?
It has been used six times since 2015.
What issue did MPs debate in April 2020 after receiving over 203,000 petition signatures?
Assisted dying.
How often does Switzerland use referendums, and how does its voter turnout compare to the UK?
Switzerland holds about 10 referendums a year, with voter turnout averaging below 50%, compared to 67% in the UK (2019 general election).
What was the turnout for the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum?
84.6%
How did the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement referendum impact Northern Ireland?
It had an 81% turnout and helped end sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland.
How has voter turnout in the UK changed from 1945 to the 2000s?
It averaged 76% between 1945 and 1997, dropping to 64% post-2000.
This indicates a significant decline in voter participation over the decades.
What was the estimated cost of the 2016 EU Referendum?
£150 million.
This reflects the financial implications of holding a nationwide referendum.
What is the most common reason people give for not voting, according to a 2015 poll?
They believe their vote will not make a difference.
This highlights a common sentiment of disenfranchisement among voters.
What percentage of people, according to the 2019 Hansard Audit, feel they have no influence in UK politics?
47%.
This statistic underscores a perceived lack of political agency among the populace.
How did voter turnout vary by age in the 2015, 2017, and 2019 elections?
18-24 turnout was just above 50%, while over 75s turnout was above 80%.
This indicates a stark generational divide in electoral participation.
How did first-time 16-year-old voters in the Scottish Independence referendum impact later election turnouts?
Those who first voted at 16 showed higher turnout in later Scottish Parliament elections than those who first voted at 18.
This suggests that early voting can lead to increased civic engagement later in life.
What was the turnout for the 2011 Alternative Vote Referendum?
42%, lower than the 2010 election’s 62% turnout.
This reflects a general trend of lower engagement in referendum voting compared to general elections.
What is the current stance of the UK on Brexit as of 2022?
The UK is now pro-remain, partially due to the death of 2 million Brexit voters.
This reflects a significant shift in public opinion regarding Brexit.
What voting patterns are observed among ethnic minorities in the UK?
Ethnic minorities are more likely to vote Labour; in 2017, Labour received 73% of the ethnic minority vote.
This indicates a strong preference for Labour among these demographics.
What percentage of voters felt Brexit was the wrong choice in March 2024?
57% of voters felt Brexit was the wrong choice.
This sentiment is referred to as ‘Bregret’.
What evidence supports the sentiment of ‘Bregret’ in the UK?
There were 6.4 million signatures on a petition to revoke Brexit.
This large number of signatures indicates widespread regret among voters.
How has general election voter turnout trended since World War II?
Turnout has declined from over 80% in the 1950s to mid-high 60% in recent years.
What is the voter turnout in ‘second-order’ elections like the Police and Crime Commissioner elections?
In 2012, turnout was just 15%, while in the 2024 London mayoral elections, it was 40.5%.
How did turnout change between the 2019 and 2024 general elections, and what concern does this raise?
Turnout dropped from 67.8% in 2019 to 59.9% in 2024, raising questions about the new Labour government’s legitimacy.
What proportion of the popular vote did the Labour Party win in 2024, and why is this significant?
Labour won with 33.7% of the popular vote, meaning 66.3% of voters did not support the governing party.
How has Conservative Party membership changed from the 1990s to 2016?
It decreased from around 400,000 to below 150,000.
What does the Labour Party’s social media engagement indicate about political participation online?
Jeremy Corbyn had 2.4 million Twitter followers, while Nigel Farage had 1.6 million, indicating high engagement.
