Should We Use Referendums? Flashcards
1A: allows electorate to be involved in key issues
If representative democracy is about the consent to be governed, people should be able to choose how they are governed.
Question of Brexit was primarily concerning whom is imposing laws on the UK, although Remainers claimed only 13% of law was created by EU, leavers 62% but question remains whether they should in first place. Although UK had representatives in EP, still did not have mandate, so not legitimate. Same with devolution, people should be able to choose whether they consent to being governed by Westminjster or by Scottish Parliament
1B: undermines parliamentary sovereignty
The principle of a representative democracy is that power is handed to those in the country who have deticated time, expertise and experience to make the right choices. Contradicting this with referendums, inferring MP’s don’t truly represent their people enough to vote on their behalf on key issues raises debates on whether we should go to an entirely direct democracy
For example, indyref 2014 was voted against perhaps due to uncertainty of what an independent SCO would look like, MPs would have better idea
2A: ends long disputed constitutional questions
Brexit referendum 2016 ended a constitutional issue that divided particularly the CON party since thatcher. In 1990 thatcher declared that she refused to join a single EU currency due to her growing euroscepticism, Geoffrey Howe then resigned, and his speech arguably was instrumental, a leadership challenge then commenced and Thatcher resigned. Further, in 2014 UKIP, a CON Euroscpetic break off performed well in MEP and the division in CON reached a breaking point to where Cameron announced in 2015 manifesto a referendum. Although chaos went after, with Cameron resigning, Thatcher having an extremely divided cabinet, and Johnson proroguing Parliament, eventually in 2020 it was done, preventing an eventual demise of the CON and allowing Britain to move forward
2B: neverendums
Was in Labour 2019 manifesto for 2nd referendum, Scottish indyref 2014despite delivering quite a certain result (55%) with a decent turnout (84%) hasn’t really resolved the issue. Brexit lead to arguements in the 2016 Scottish Parliament election that Scotland wants to be apart of EU, with 62% remainers, and hence they should have a 2nd referendum.
Furthermore after Nicola Stuergon calling for an indyref in 2021 suggested doing an indyref 2 within scotlands parliament, it took SC intervention to rule it was outside the competence of the Scottish Parliament in 2022. The state of an independent Scotland remains a question, it never
3A: gives legitimacy to controversial policies
Devolution to Scotland and wales in 1997 aimed to give greater power to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly due to growing nationalism and dislike of UK due to Thatchers austerity. However this was controversial as it was though to appease nationalists who would take it further, becoming more disconnected from the Union and becoming more strong willed for independence, conservatives perhaps even in Scotland and wales who were pro - unionist likely shared this view. The result (74% yes in Scotland and 50% yes in Wales) legitimised the theory of devolution for Blair’s Labour, showing it was forged by the public will. Furthermore, had Labour implemented the policy without public support, CON may have repealed the policy later on.
3B: used for political gain
Arguably however, within most referendums are an insidious attempt at destroying opposing parties or gaining support. The devolution refenrexum allowed Blair to appease the Scottish and Welsh nationalists without losing key Labour seats, as Scotland and Wales historically align with Labour, and especially would post-Thatcher. With the facade of granting power to the self determinist Scottish and Welsh, he secured Labour seats for another generation. Further, the 2011 AV refenrdum arguably ruined any chance of a future change in electoral system, due to an unelected public, arguably due to lack of media attention, turnout was at 42% and 68% said no, although this seems a remark of overwhelming support for FPTF, the fact that as of 2024 only 58% voted for LAB or CON suggests otherwise
