However, although referendums are important for democracy, referendums could be seen to be too complicated for the public to understand. Thousands ofjobsare at stake in the North-East. To honour a political agreement Sometimes holding a referendum may be agreed by political parties as part of another wider agreement being reached. The second downside is that referendum campaigns themselves can be savagely divisive, especially when the prospect of a narrow victory tempts campaigners to use every argument at their disposal. Referendums have become more widely used since 1997 and have helped to decide controversial policies. In the UK holding a referendum has to be legislated for by the Westminster Parliament. Answer (1 of 30): Good question, and one that throws a lot of confusion in the air. List of the Cons of Brexit. A post-legislative referendum This is a referendum held after a law is passed to confirm whether people are satisfied with it. Brexit would eliminate protections of equal pay, maternity leave, and safe workplaces. Renewable Energy. Direct democracy - referendums give the public unmediated and direct control over a policy, making sure that the public's view is clearly articulated, not distorted by those who 'represent' them. 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. The public's interests are therefore best protected by 'government by politicians' rather than self-government. 1. Component 1: UK Politics - referendums. . North-East Assembly 2004 rejected the idea of regional assemblies in the UK, with the North-East as the trial assembly. Whilst this bestows democratic legitimacy, voters are often not well-equipped to make these decisions. Referendums provide the peoples opinion. Reduced government power - provides a check on government power, as the government has less control over the outcome of a referendum than it does over Parliament. 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. When a majority of the people back a political decision, it helps to create a lock in the choice, making it easier to proceed. This really is another downside associated with having referendums in the UK as arrters may lose interest in politics. 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 . Free Trade . However, in the 2016 Referendum each of these eurosceptic votes counted equally. 3. Unreliable views - referendums provide a gauge of public opinion at a given time, therefore being an unreliable guide to public interest and an inappropriate means of approving constitutional decisions that will have far-reaching, long-term implications. Brexit involves the process of negotiating new trade deals, citizen registration rules, borders, etc. It creates considerable constitutional uncertainty, but also an opportunity. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Direct/ representative democracy and Nature of Representative democracy, Evaluate how democratic, in practice, initiatives and referendums are in making public policy decisions in the USA. Advantages. As a result of the legitimacy that a direct vote bestows, they can have an enormous impact in settling controversial issues. The concept applies mainly to political divisions (political parties) among voters.The essence of such systems is that all votes cast - or almost all votes cast - contribute to the result and are effectively used to help elect someone . Dr Quinn is host of POLSIS Dr Quinn is host of POLSIS Political Worldview podcast the latest edition of which discusses referendums and their perils. Referendums in the United Kingdom. They are particularly good with Social Law reform, Ireland has used them to good effect here. . This protects representatives in the future from some of the political comeback if the decision appears to be misguided. However, if permission is refused, Sturgeon has said the SNP will put forward a one-line manifesto in the next general election simply saying the SNP are standing for independence. Referendums are seen as positive as it is the most direct way for the public to participate in politics and know that their opinion and vote matter to the government. 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. Ill-informed decisions - the general public are less informed than elected politicians, and have no political experience. There is also an argument that governments . Referendums are seen as positive as it is the most direct way for the public to participate in politics and know that their opinion and vote matter to the government. On one hand, you have SEO's more organic approach, where you gradually cultivate an audience, strengthen trust, and build your brand awareness. . Referendums give power to uneducated voters. The scenario changed since 2013 when the British Prime Minister David Cameron put forward the plan of holding a referendum on continuation of their membership with European Union. 4. This is the idea that minority interests are swamped by the power of the democratic majority. European Communities Act (1972) -The Act of Parliament that saw Britain join the EEC in 1973. 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. 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. There is also an argument that governments . 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. The relationship between the executive and Parliament, The Powers of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to Dictate Events and Determine Policy, The Influence of the Supreme Court on the Executive, The Comparative Powers of the Commons and Lords. Rousseau and Mills argue that referendums represent the Tyranny of the majority. The referendum, as an instrument of political decision-making, has been the source of much consternation in 2016. 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. This suggests that referendums are not always a true representation of what the public wants an outcome to be. Weakens parliament - referendums undermine parliamentary sovereignty, and are decisions that are not made on the basis of deliberation and debate. 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. General Elections under FPTP do not always result in the true will of the public being expressed, whereas referendums clearly put power in the hands of the electorate. 5. Reserved Power Powers that are kept by the Westminster Government and not devolved, for example Defence. 10 reasons against Scottish independence. . The UK EU . Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums. Disadvantages. (27 May 2015), Experiences with reserved seats or constituencies for women in parliamentary elections The legislative refers the question to the electorate. In 2014, the wantaway region of Spain, Catalonia, held an unofficial referendum after being refused formal permission by the Spanish Government for a binding referendum. Here are the sticking points that were most important to the remain and leave camps during the Brexit process. Appointing the official campaign groups for each side of the debate. Independent schools provide a very positive learning environment for their pupils, with some of the best teacher-pupil ratios in the country, excellent learner support facilities and other resources . Pros and cons of Brexit. A good example of this is the Scottish Independence Referendum of 2014. A PowerPoint illustrating how referendums are used in the UK, and what their advantages are. In the UK, there is a system of representative democracy called "liberal democracy" - in which the people vote for a government through regular elections with secret ballots and a choice of candidates. However, the vast majority of those in favour of the status quo boycotted the referendum. This can perhaps be seen by the four years of political turmoil after the referendum surrounding how Britain should actually withdraw from the EU. Free Trade . What are the Mechanisms for Reform and Amendment? Brexit is a major constitutional change. Constitutional issues. . Government plans to build a network of 10 freeports after the end of the Brexit transition period are unlikely to have any material impact on the UK economy because duty savings are so small as to . There have been a number of referendums in the UK: For what reasons might referendums be held? A referendum helps to make decisions legitimate and confirms the principle of government by consent. Subsequently, when Brexit was not immediately forthcoming, led to allegations that Parliament had betrayed the people. Additionally, referendums can be used to educate the public and raise citizens awareness of political issues. Referendums are the purest form of democracy as it is entirely up to the people to decide. Referendums are held only at the discretion of the Government. Much of the blame for this can be placed on the government of David Cameron that did very little contingency planning for a leave vote. 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. (20 Sep 2011), Manually counting ballots in Block Vote systems It was a protest against . Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Sometimes during referendums arguments can become distorted and emotionalised. However, there was little discussion on what leaving would mean and how Britain might leave the EU. They are mainly designed to put pressure on a government who may themselves be refusing to offer a referendum. Politicians spend time becoming expert about political issues. 2. Disadv: Far too . The issue realistically has to be broken into a binary question. CHAPTER 1: Introduction. The first UK-wide referendum was held in __1975 __on the United Kingdoms continued membership of the European Community (European Union). You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers. In reality, this almost always means that the Westminster Government will have to agree to it too. A core purpose of referendums is to engage those with relatively low information about the issues, which is to say the general population, in the choice. Referendums can settle long-standing and controversial issues. The results of referendums have had major consequences. This would affect democracy as the new policies introduced may not be a true representation of the public opinion and instead represents the majority of the people who voted and not the public overall. 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'. For example, the Westminster Government under Boris Johnson have pledged to prevent a Second Scottish Independence Referendum despite the widespread support for SNP. A good example of this is the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement that ended the Troubles on Northern Ireland and set up the power-sharing agreement between nationalist and republican communities. 3. 5. Do the advantages of referendums outweigh the disadvantages? It was right, if we got a better deal to remain in the EU. Another argument for direct democracy being used more widely in the UK is that it prevents the government and MPs making extremely unpopular decisions . Arguments for private schools. On the Leave side, however, the EU became a handy scapegoat for a wide range of socio-economic issues with a number of causes. It provides a level of political support for difficult decisions. Constitutional changes - it is appropriate that constitutional changes be approved by public referendum, as they affect the way the country is governed, so are more important than ordinary laws. , Edexcel 6GP01 Government and Politics Unit 1 Exam 20/05/2014 . The reasons for leaving were numerous, including questionable immigration policies, concerns over Brussels micromanaging UK affairs, and doubts about whether remaining in the EU was in the best economic interests of the UK. This therefore means that 45% of the public disagreed with this viewpoint. Further to this point, referendums are sometimes seen as a means available to elected representatives to avoid having to take an unpopular position on a controversial issue. Take for instance, in Nigeria there is the 1999 . Direct democracy - referendums give the public unmediated and direct control over a policy, making sure that the public's view is clearly articulated, not distorted by those who 'represent' them. One argument for independent schools is that they are like Beacon schools, showcasing the very best of education. They therefore become dominated by populism. Referendums have traditionally been a rarity in the UK. This is unlike an unwritten constitution because a written constitution is contained in one single document. Subsequent events showed that there was a wide dispersity of views on how Britain should leave the EU and what leaving even meant. Dont know where to start? A referendum provides the opportunity to vote on a single-issue. (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? An example of this the Scottish referendum 2014, which saw 55% of the Scottish people vote no to independence. Good Friday Agreement 1998 received clear support from most of the community (70% Yes) and this allowed peace to maintain with only minor difficulties. What might be some of the weaknesses of referendums? They can be seen as advantages for the democracy but also as disadvantages. For more information on this licence see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 . Referendums provide constitutional changes that need the peoples assent. The Scottish referendum on independence had a very high turnout and high levels of popular engagement in the debates. Focus. Above all, the key principle of referendums for any government is this: if you call one, you had better be certain you are going to win. Disadvantages of referendums in regards to constitutional changes. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Political deals. an academic expert within 3 minutes. On 23 June 2016, the UK electorate voted to leave the European Union. What significant national and regional referendums have taken place in the UK? See all Physics resources See all Energy resources . Indeed, the average majority since 1945 has been 58.4 seats. Essay on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Trade. A referendum is a vote provided to the general public which is determined by the federal government, and is used to help answer a crucial political or constitutional concern to which the public need to vote a simple 'yes' or 'no'. 5. Lesson Objectives To understand what a referendum is To examine case studies of referendums To analyse the advantages and disadvantages of referendums 3. Good examples of this are the Scottish Independence Referendum in 2014 and the EU Referendum in 2016. Sometimes an MP can be elected on a vote as low as only . This makes the wording of the question essential. To what extent do the advantages of referendums outweigh the disadvantages? The process started on June 23, 2016, after the referendum passed by 51.9% to 48.1%. Political education - by widening debate on an issue, referendums create a better educated electorate, who have a stronger incentive to think and act politically. Why is the wording of the question so important in a referendum? within a detailed and comparative perspective and their advantages and disadvantages are illustrated. It could prove Britain's constitutional moment. One of the benefits of them is they take issues out of the party-political arena and allow voters to consider them directly. Referendums do a good job of raising public awareness of key issues. Although, other laws may be incorporated into it by reference in its provisions. Strengthens government - governments decide when and on what issues referendums are called, they frame the question and they dominate the publicity campaign. Possible Constraints on a Prime Ministers Power. This ensures any newly created public body has democratic legitimacy. Those who see virtue in the idea of a more direct link between the popular will and the levers of power therefore admire them as an instrument of empowerment for the too-often neglected people. The central governent is at Westmi. Referendums in a direct democracy give the general public direct and unmediated control over government decision-making. At elections, voters elected representatives to take difficult decisions on their behalf. The vast majority of those in favour of the weaknesses of referendums protected by 'government by '. Well-Equipped to make decisions legitimate and confirms the principle of Government by consent other laws may be into... 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