The impact of referendums

Question 1

What do governments normally use referendums to do?

Answer 1

As a way of securing direct consent for major policies they want to introduce?

Question 2

Give an example of a government using a referendum to confirm consent for a desired policy

Answer 2

Devolution needed to be confirmed by a referendum, and the Labour government was confident it would win the three votes

Question 3

Why is it so important that a government is confident a referendum will bring the desired outcome before it is held?

Answer 3

Because it will be a blow to its authority and put it in a difficult situation if it loses

Question 4

Why have their been calls for a second referendum on Scottish independce?

Answer 4

• The result was extremely close in 2014
• 62% of Scots voted to remain in the EU, so have now been dragged out against their expressed will