. However, although referendums are important for democracy, referendums could be seen to be too complicated for the public to understand. For example, an individual might not understand the significance of their vote to a political question, and that it can have long term effects that they may not take into considerationwhilst voting. The parties stances on Brexit have also had electoral consequences, not least the weakening of Labours traditional working class support in some areas. The UK formally left the EU on 31 December 2020. For many people Brexit was a magnificent exercise in democracy in Britain. Why is the wording of the question so important in a referendum? It was right to try to get a better deal for us in Europe. This is because although a majority of people voted a certain way, there is usually a very slim margin between this and the other outcome which could be achieved. For example, the Scottish Independent Referendum in 2014 allowed for a robust debate about that issue and was, in the words of then SNP Leader Alex Salmond a once in a generation vote. A good example of this is the Good Friday Referendum in 1998 which confirmed the history agreement made in Belfast and set out how devolution would work in Northern Ireland. On Thursday 23 June 2016 a referendum was held in order to come to a decision if the UK should remain a member of EU and more than 30 million people have voted. The same day, a referendum in Hungary produced a 98% vote to reject the authority of the EU to mandate settlement of refugees in the country. [ 1] Referendums, by which citizens are given the opportunity to express a view on specific issues, have antecedents in the Middle Ages and earlier. Subsequently, when Brexit was not immediately forthcoming, led to allegations that Parliament had betrayed the people. In fact, it is highly unlikely they would have signed the agreement without it. Referendums provide the peoples opinion. Here are the sticking points that were most important to the remain and leave camps during the Brexit process. There are three reasons for this. (16 Aug 2012), Replacement of polling committee chairpersons? To confirm a decision taken by a previous Government Sometimes a party will promise a referendum as a position of opposition to the current government. . There have been a number of referendums in the UK: For what reasons might referendums be held? P1.2-Generating Electricity. Second, many technology firms rely on inventors from all . Pros and cons of Brexit. Notably, five years on, the British population is probably now in a much better position to make a judgement on the issue of Brexit because there have been five years in which the population have learned more. The contribute demonstrate in eleven main reasons why the turnout requirement should be abolished: the vote should be free and decisive, meaning that citizens who participate in a referendum . This happened in the Labour Government under Harold Wilson. Several arguments are advanced in support of and in opposition to referendums. 1. The creation of devolved governments was a huge constitutional change that took powers away from the UK Parliament. Ok, let me say Im extremely satisfy with the result while it was a last minute thing. (30 marks), Unit 3C: Representative processes in the USA, Media, opinion polls and election case studies, See all Government & Politics resources , Why are people against an EU referendum? The advantages and disadvantages of different electrical energy sources. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. (03 Mar 2014), Electoral reforms made by specific assemblies We address the challenges facing society and the economy, from shedding light on the refugee crisis, to character education in schools, through to developing leaders in the NHS. Should further powers be given to devolved governments? The referendum device is one of the institutions of direct democracy that claim to measure and express the will of the people better than the institutions of representative democracy. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. Good Friday Agreement 1998 received clear support from most of the community (70% Yes) and this allowed peace to maintain with only minor difficulties. A London School of Economics and Political Science report examining the financial impact of Brexit, trade and Scottish independence found that "the costs of independence to the Scottish economy . It provides a level of political support for difficult decisions. The theoretical advantage of flexibility is one that is too easily exploited for self-serving reasons. 4. This makes them especially vulnerable to producing decisions based on false information and/or unrealistic beliefs about what alternatives are possible - often stoked by opportunistic actors within the political system. There has been a significant reduction in the cost of fibre optic cable installation in recent years, but it still involves a much higher tariff than copper cable. On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. In fact, the Government had already tried to use a Referendum in 1973 to settle the Irish issue but it was boycotted by Republicans as they did not feel the settlement it addressed their issues. Society is more likely to accept the decision - if the people have demonstrated their expressed consent they are more likely to agree with the resulting policies and allowing stable government of the people. The process started on June 23, 2016, after the referendum passed by 51.9% to 48.1%. an academic expert within 3 minutes. Referendums in a direct democracy give the general public direct and unmediated control over government decision-making. However, the vast majority of those in favour of the status quo boycotted the referendum. Dr Adam Quinn, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Referendum campaigns themselves can be savagely divisive, especially when the prospect of a narrow victory tempts campaigners to use every argument at their disposal. 2. Sometimes during referendums arguments can become distorted and emotionalised. I believe this strategy was the most likely way to keep Britain in the EU. It was a protest against . If concessions need to be made to those who committed crimes during a conflict, or if a course will impose severe economic costs, or if a divisive point principle is at issue, endorsement by direct popular vote will likely aid political stability, and also bind not just the present government, but those that follow it. This trend may be exacerbated in the case of referendums on complex issues such as constitutional change or international treaties, with which voters are likely to be unfamiliar. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. The strategy failed. Advantages. (22 Aug 2013), Comparative examples of electoral procedures and legislation considering the customary laws of indigenous communities It is worth noting that in terms of overall population that only 37% of the UK adult population actually voted for Brexit. On June 23, 2016, a referendum (public vote) was held in the UK for its withdrawal from the European Union. The ultimate role of the whole population in deciding whether the deal sticks can be important in prodding elites, otherwise comfortable and secure in their factional power, to do the harder work of engaging with the bigger political picture. A referendum provides the opportunity to vote on a single-issue. Depending on the precise rules adopted, referendums and initiatives However, since 2011 there have been three nationwide referendums. By necessity, referendums simplify incredibly complex issues. The ministers indulge in corrupt practices because the people have no control over them. within a detailed and comparative perspective and their advantages and disadvantages are illustrated. Right, so I've got that the adv are: Increases political participation Referendum deals with a flaw in the mandate theory as voters can voice an opinion on a major issue. The word "constitution" is also used to refer to a document that contains, sets out the framework and the principal functions of the organs of government within the state, and declares the principles by which those organs must operate. Disadvantages of referendums. It could prove Britain's constitutional moment. Third, a referendum may be useful to ensure a broad base of political support for a controversial decision, and lock in a choice that will necessitate riding out unpopular consequences during the implementation. Good examples of this are the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 and the EU Referendum in 2016. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Scotland's economy will be worse off. In this referendum 16-year-olds could vote. CHAPTER 1: Introduction. A referendum is a vote given to the public which is determined by the government, and is used to help answer an important political or constitutional question to which the public must vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. Referendums do not have a long history in the UK. . List of the Cons of Brexit. There is one further type of referendum that also needs recognition and that is unofficial referendums. A referendum helps to make decisions legitimate and confirms the principle of government by consent. R. eferendums trivialise highly complex issues by oversimplifying them into a ' yes ' / ' no ' vote. On Thursday 23 June 2016 a referendum was held in order to come to a decision if the UK should remain a member of EU and more than 30 million people have voted. Students will be required to analyse and evaluate the characteristics of different systems used in parliamentary elections and in elections to one of the devolved bodies in the UK including: debates and issues around the performance of those systems; the advantages and disadvantages of those systems Take for instance, in Nigeria there is the 1999 . However, in the 2016 Referendum each of these eurosceptic votes counted equally. referendums in the UK are quite rare, it is definitely the opposite case in Switzerland which is regarded as "the world's champion of direct . Responsive government - referendums make governments more responsive between elections by forcing them to listen to public opinion, and allow public opinion to be expressed on a particular issue, which cannot be done during elections. (28 Jun 2012), Bonus seats to largest party in Greek election The referendum was a rare example of direct, or participatory, democracy in the UK. They also claim that, since in many countries turnout at referendums is lower than at national elections, the argument that referendums increase the legitimacy of political decisions does not stand up. For example, Good Friday Agreement . Focus. This suggests that referendums are not always a true representation of what the public wants an outcome to be. Advantages of referendums in regard to constitutional changes. But what is AV and how would it . Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like How are opinion polls bad for elections and referendums due to their inaccuracy?, Why do opinion polls bring more disadvantages due to their inaccuracy?, Give 2 examples of when opinion polls were spectacularly wrong and more. resolve issues which government and individual parties are unlikely to be able to resolve easily. Moreover in most of these cases it . It is entirely at the discretion of the government as to whether or not to hold a referendum. Referendums allow the people to participate in politics. An example of a one being used for this function is the 1998 referendum which was utilized to identify whether Blair and the Labour Party should devolve power to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. There is a consistent danger that referendums, because of their binary nature, become dominated by wider political issues and not just the issue on the ballot paper. They can be seen as advantages for the democracy but also as disadvantages. This really is another downside associated with having referendums in the UK as arrters may lose interest in politics. . Some of these include: To gain legitimacy for an important political or constitutional decision When controversial political or constitutional decisions need to be made it is useful for representatives to get the direct consent of the electorate. Disadvantages of Fibre Optic Cabling. AV might reduce the number of safe seats - but it would not eliminate them. (2016, May 11). David Cameron undoubtedly promised (at least in part) to hold a referendum to ease the pressure on his party from the right and thereby win back UKIP members into the Conservative fold. One argument for independent schools is that they are like Beacon schools, showcasing the very best of education. (It should be noted that this fact should be treated some caution, and this is a worthwhile read on the issue PolitiFact | Whats missing from media claims linking Google Trends to Brexit vote). -provides a clear answer to a specific question. Governments often choose to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public good. "No" voters in 2014 who feared that Scotland might find itself outside the EU - even temporarily - might view the economic risks and opportunities . Also, the government determine when to hold a referendum and could be done to suit their own needs. Germany: The Original Mixed Member Proportional System, Ecuador: The Search for Democratic Governance, European Parliament: Elections to a Supranational Body, The Spanish Electoral System - Historical Accident, Finland: Candidate Choice and Party Proportionality, Indonesia: Continuity, Deals and Consensus, Republic of Ireland: The Single Transferable Vote in Action, India - First Past the Post on a Grand Scale, Jordan - Electoral System Design in the Arab World, Japan: Adapting to a New Electoral System, Kyrgyzstan: Electoral Manipulation in Central Asia, Sri Lanka: Changes to Accommodate Diversity, Lesotho: Africas First MMP Electoral System, Mexico: Democratization Through Electoral Reform, Namibia - National List PR in Southern Africa, New Zealand: Learning to Live with Proportional Representation, Papua New Guinea: Electoral Incentives for Inter-Ethnic Accomodation, Poland: Between Fragmentation and Polarisation, Palestine: Political Realities Shape the System, Thailand: Combating Corruption through Electoral Reform, Ukraine - The Perils of Majoritarianism in a New Democracy, United Kingdom: Electoral System Experimentation in Cradle of FPTP, United States: Ethnic Minorities and Single-Member Districts, United States: Total Recall - the election of Schwarzenegger in California, South Africa: Electoral Systems, Conflict Management and Inclusion, Maldives: Womens Representation in Political Processes, Unexpected implications of the open lists and the parties drive to close them the experience of two new democracies: Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0, Practitioner's Network discussing Electoral Systems, Plurality systems where a majority coalition can't override the election leader Referendums are held only at the discretion of the Government. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. . The EU referendum result led to the resignation of the Prime Minister David Cameron, the election of Theresa May as Conservative leader, and the instillation of, in effect, a new government. However, there was little discussion on what leaving would mean and how Britain might leave the EU. Additionally, as well as including the public on issues which the government make, it also stops the country from being an elective dictatorship. This gives the final verdict a greater mandate than that received as the result of a General Election. Schools helped with balanced political education over issue allowing them to be more informed. Those who see virtue in the idea of a more direct . The idea that Britain would give up their push toward more equality for women seems low, even if a no-deal Brexit ends up happening. A really good example of this is the Alternative Vote Referendum in 2011. 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