Referendums

Question 1

what are referendums

Answer 1

a popular vote on a single issue initiated by the government, often framed in the form of a simple yes or no question.

Question 2

referendums and Parliamentary sovereignty

Answer 2

In the UK, parliament is sovereign meaning that referendums are not legally binding. It is mostly a representative democracy with all decision-making in parliament. The UK has only had 3 national referendums with 2 of those 3 in the last 3 years which indicates that that may slowly be changing

Question 3

refs in the UK

Answer 3

EU membership 2016 - Turnout - 72.2%, Leave - 51.89, Remain - 48.11%
2011 AV for general election - Turnout - 42.20%, No - 67.90% Yes - 32.10%
Scotland devolution 1997 - Turnout - 60%, Yes - 74%, No - 26%
N.I good friday agreement - Turnout - 81%, Yes - 71%, No - 29%
Wales devolution - Turnout - 50% Yes - 50.3% No - 49.7%
Scottish Indp 2014 - Turnout - 84% No- 55.3%, Yes - 44.7%
N.E. regional assembly - turnout - 47.7% Yes - 22.07% no - 77.93%
Local - 2001 - 16, 53 different citices voted on having elected mayors.

Question 4

what kind of questions are referendums organised

Answer 4

In a representative democracy, most decisions are taken by representatives - MPs. Only questions on constitutional issues tend to be referred to the people in referendums as parliament thinks it is better to organise a referendum on those big constitutional questions instead of deciding it themselves as it increases legitimacy. Referendums are a form of direct democracy that expresses the wishes of the people more directly than a representative democracy - the decision would be clearly based on the will of the people.

Question 5

referendums should be used more in politics

Answer 5

1. It increases the legitimacy of big decisions
2. Reduces the power of the commons and the government and the risk of elective dictatorship
3. Shows support or not for change
4. Increases political participation by using direct democracy

Question 6

referendums are good - legitimacy

Answer 6

1. To increase the legitimacy of big decisions. The conservative government of Ted Heath applied for EEC membership in 1972 and the Uk joined in 1973. However, it was controversial. To give the decision more legitimacy, Wilson 1975’s government called a referendum on EEC membership in 1975 and yes won. The decision to remain or leave the EU is (was) highly controversial, if a govt decided to leave without a ref, it could be questioned as to whether that decision really reflected the will of the people. A ref gave the decision legitimacy which shows that big decisions are supported by the people - Cameron as PM supported remain but still organised the EU referendum in 2016

Question 7

reduces the power of the commons

Answer 7

Reduces the power of the commons and the govt making them more accountable to the people - however they are not binding.

Question 8

shows support

Answer 8

Shows support or not for change - meaning only those with popular support are likely to be passed - The 2016 EU referendum had 72%
turnout, and the 2014 Scottish independence
referendum 84% (in Scotland only

Question 9

increases participation

Answer 9

Increases political participation by using direct democracy

Question 10

arguments against referendums

Answer 10

1. Have low turnout which undermines legitimacy
2. Narrow Results
3. General public may not have the knowledge of complex issues

Question 11

arguments against referendums - low turnout

Answer 11

1. Often refs have low turnout which undermines their legitimacy. 2011 - AV ref. That means an important decision can be taken by a small part of the electorate - which reduces the legitimacy refs should give to decisions

Question 12

arguments against referendums - narrow result

Answer 12

Narrow result - If the result is close, a ref has not clearly got the will of the people as a whole but the will of about half the people. It is basically a survey on how the people are split and has not produced a decision more acceptable for the people. Tyranny of the majority - minority views are ignored, which is especially problematic with a close result. Although the 2016 EU membership was decided with a narrow 52% vs 48% margin, the decision to leave the EU has been commonly
described as ‘the will of the people’, ignoring the narrow result and the views of almost half the voters, despite brexit being a key event that affected everyone

Question 13

arguments against referendums - misinformation

Answer 13

The general public may not have the knowledge to decide on complex issues - Questions are often far more complicated than the referendum questionn posed. The consequences are not always fully explained or fully clear. eg brexit and they may be misinformed - The ‘Leave’ campaign used
a bus advertising incorrectly that the UK contributes £350 million a week to the EU, claiming it could be used by the NHS instead - The idea that women and working class men were not educated enough was used to argue
against the right to vote for those groups before the introduction of the 1918 Representation of the Peoples Act