Increased use of referendums

Question 1

Question

Answer 1

Evaluate the view that increased use of referendums has improved democracy in the UK.

Question 2

Factors

Answer 2

• Representation.
• Participation Vs political apathy.
• More educated Vs oversimplification

Question 3

Judgement

Answer 3

Referendums have improved democracy

Question 4

Weaker argument - representation

Answer 4

→ Low turnout levels at some referendums mean they are not representative: AV referendum had a turnout of 42%.
→ Tyranny of the majority - Brexit referendum 51:49 - nearly half of the population was left unrepresented.

Question 5

Stronger argument - representation

Answer 5

→ Referendums are a form of direct democracy - meaning they directly reflect what the people want.
→ Scottish Independence Referendum - 55% voted to remain in the Union.
→ Good Friday Agreement Referendum - 71% supported the referendum - a key chance for the Irish people to show their views on the peace treaty.

Question 6

Weaker argument - political apathy

Answer 6

→ In 2016 voting in Scotland on the EU referendum was lower than expected for such a pro-EU part of the Union: there was 67% turnout in Scotland (5% lower than the national turnout) - could suggest voter fatigue because of over use of referendums.
→ Turnout at the Brexit referendum was higher than the turnout at the following election in 2017 - 69%.

Question 7

Stronger argument - participation

Answer 7

→ The 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum had a 84.5% turnout.
→ Higher turnout levels in referendums suggest that people think their vote matters in a referendum - 47% felt they had no influence over national decision making through the use of elections according to the Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement.
→ People turnout to referendums on important issues to them: Brexit = 72%, Good Friday Agreement = 81%.

Question 8

Weaker argument - oversimplification

Answer 8

→ In the Brexit campaign both Leave and Remain made claims that have later found to be misleading: Leave claimed ‘We send £350 million a week to the EU’.
→ At the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum the meaning of what would happen if you said ‘yes’ to leaving the Union was unclear - did it also mean Scotland would leave the EU?

Question 9

Stronger argument - better informed electorate.

Answer 9

→ During the Brexit referendum campaign media coverage on the issue widely increased - Vote Leave sent, ‘nearly a billion targeted digital adverts’ and spent approximately 98% of their money on digital campaigning.
→ 42 organisations/individuals registered as campaigners at the referendum. Altogether, the 42 campaigners reported spending £6,664,950 on campaigning at the referendum.
→ People have more of an incentive to learn about the decision they are going to make.