Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums. Referendums have become more widely used since 1997 and have helped to decide controversial policies. Schools helped with balanced political education over issue allowing them to be more informed. Therefore, for an official referendum to be held, the Westminster Parliament have to agree to it. From atoms to astronomy, computers to cars and robots to robust materials, our goal is to transform our understanding of the world to make life easier, healthier and more sustainable. (19 Mar 2014), Formula for the number of Members of Parliament? 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. Referendum campaigns engage national publics, often passive and sometimes actively excluded, in the business of political debate and decision-making. Referendums and consultations are a form of political education for the general population. Is the Prime Minister Effectively a President? Such episodes served to highlight both the seductive attraction and grave perils of referendums for those who decide to hold them. They are currently taking the UK Government to the Supreme Court over the refusal of Westminster to countenance a second independence referendum. There are three primary reasons why one might consider referendums a good idea. The increasing use of referendums in the UK has created a convention that they should be used for major constitutional change or a change to the way in which the UK is governed. Elective Dictatorship A term coined by Lord Hailsham to describe the situation in Britain in which when a government is elected, they can normally govern without much effective scrutiny. This suggests that referendums are not always a true representation of what the public wants an outcome to be. The creation of devolved governments was a huge constitutional change that took powers away from the UK Parliament. List of the 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. This can perhaps be seen by the four years of political turmoil after the referendum surrounding how Britain should actually withdraw from the EU. The UK formally left the EU on 31 December 2020. The decision being put to the people meant it was legitimised. 3. Constitutional issues. In most elections this does not happen (especially under a proportional system) however in a referendum there is one winning side and one losing side. They are used to decide on a particular policy proposal, often of constitutional significance. Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. By continuing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. Retrieved from http://studymoose.com/describe-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-referendums-essay. . Advantages of referendums in regard to constitutional changes. Reserved Power Powers that are kept by the Westminster Government and not devolved, for example Defence. We are driving innovation with industry and manufacturing partners to transform industries and deliver growth to our economies, thereby helping to improve peoples livelihoods. 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. resolve issues which government and individual parties are unlikely to be able to resolve easily. Referendums are used frequently in the UK. Background. One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . Copyright Get Revising 2023 all rights reserved. 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. On the other hand, PPC lets you buy prominent positioning on search pages, like Google, potentially bringing much larger audiences to your website. The legislative refers the question to the electorate. Referendums are limited if the potential outcomes are not prepared for. List of the Pros of Referendums. It was right to try to get a better deal for us in Europe. On June 23, 2016, a referendum (public vote) was held in the UK for its withdrawal from the European Union. What might be some of the weaknesses of referendums? Detailed lesson on referendums in the UK. To honour a political agreement Sometimes holding a referendum may be agreed by political parties as part of another wider agreement being reached. 98.9% of voters chose to remain in the UK (the referendum was boycotted by nationalists). At least 22 francs per hour (18 euros, or $25) for each worker: This is the minimum wage proposal that the Swiss voted down on Sunday in a referendum.. Free Trade . Governments often choose to hold referendums for their own political purposes, rather than the public good. 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. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. As a response to the seeming public mood At times there may be circumstances in which there is a suggestion that the public mood on an issue deserves to be tested. European Communities Act (1972) -The Act of Parliament that saw Britain join the EEC in 1973. In total 406 constituencies voted Leave in the Brexit Referendum but only around 160 MPs had voted to leave. To this end, the alternatives that are likely to fit best to the sides' interests will be . Seats where one party regularly scores more than 50 per cent of the vote (210 seats . Through the system of recall, they will be under the control of the people. Additionally, referendums can be used to educate the public and raise citizens awareness of political issues. Check out Adapt the A-level & GCSE revision timetable app. First is their intrinsic worth as an exercise in direct democracy. 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. 1. 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 levels of populism were a key criticism of the EU referendum in 2016 where both sides were accused of poor campaigning and misuse of facts and figures. The party promised a referendum on the decision of the Heath Government to join the EEC. The referendum, as an instrument of political decision-making, has been the source of much consternation in 2016. The main purpose of the article is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Italian referendum tools and particularly the research hypothesis is to demonstrate why the turnout requirement should be abolished waiting for the work in progress people's initiative referendum draft without the participation quorum. The result of this referendum was 80.7% in favour of independence. In Britain there has been an independent electoral commission since 2001. (28 Dec 2006), EISA - Promoting Credible Elections & Democratic Governance in Africa, United Nations. In this referendum 16-year-olds could vote. There are also a number of arguments made against the use of referendums. Political education - by widening debate on an issue, referendums create a better educated electorate, who have a stronger incentive to think and act politically. Another argument advanced in favour of referendums is that they can be used to resolve political problems, particularly for incumbent governments; where a governing party is divided over an issue, for example, holding a referendum can help reach a solution on the issue without splitting the party (one example of this is the 1975 UK referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EC, an issue over which the ruling Labour government was deeply divided). (03 Mar 2014), Electoral reforms made by specific assemblies A referendum is a popular vote on a single issue. prevent government from making unpopular decisions. A referendum helps to make decisions legitimate and confirms the principle of government by consent. Brexit involves the process of negotiating new trade deals, citizen registration rules, borders, etc. 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 . A referendum provides the opportunity to vote on a single-issue. To refer to . Their increasing use (or at least proposal) was also partly due to the participation of the Liberal Democrats in the coalition government, the Lib Dems being the party most committed not only to constitutional reform but also the use of referendums in general. However, after the intervention off the Electoral Commission the question was as below. For example, David Cameron called the 2016 Referendum to deal with the electoral threat of UKIP whilst Tony Blair did not call a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, despite indicating he would do so. One advantage of Describe the Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums Read More 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. Those who see virtue in the idea of a more direct . Referendums provide the peoples opinion. In the 2015 General Election UKIP won 12.6% of the votes, taking many votes away from the Conservatives. Have constitutional reforms since 1997 reduced government power? 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. 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. . Referendums give an equal say to every voter. The main policy of the SNP is a call for an independent Scotland. Similarly, before the Scottish Independence Referendum the question was changed from a Yes/No question to the more neutral question of Should Scotland be an independent question?. (one example of this is the 1975 UK referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EC, an issue over which the ruling Labour government was deeply divided). Before 1997, referendums were rarely used in the UK, due to concerns over the conflict with the principle of parliamentary democracy. 5. PLEASE NOTE: We are currently in the process of updating this chapter and we appreciate your patience whilst this is being completed. 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 It was right for us to have our say on that deal, and on our membership more broadly. 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. Unless Nicola Sturgeon has been conducted the poorest bluff in political history, it seems that Scotland is once again set for a referendum on independence. Scots will not be ready for another independence referendum until a stronger economic case is made to break from the UK, according to SNP leadership hopeful Kate Forbes. One of the major advantages of a written constitution is the fact that it can be easily consulted. One advantage of using referendums in the UK is that they enable the public that are over 18 to approve or disprove important . Referendums in the United Kingdom. 16 Year olds were also given the vote. (20 Dec 2011), Proportional Representation in Hong Kong Government Currently, Scotland is in political union with three other countries, (formerly a country, a principality, and a province). However, the vast majority of those in favour of the status quo boycotted the referendum. by Why is the wording of the question so important in a referendum? 4. Renewable Energy. Now we have Britain's rejection of the EU. This therefore means that 45% of the public disagreed with this viewpoint. For example, the Westminster Government under Boris Johnson have pledged to prevent a Second Scottish Independence Referendum despite the widespread support for SNP. 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. The Term Brexit was coined for the process of the UK leaving the European Union followed by the different advantages and disadvantages of it to the country. 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. 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. Referendums in a direct democracy give the general public direct and unmediated control over government decision-making. 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. 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'. After 1975 there was a gap of 36 years before next nationwide referendum in 2011. Public are given direct control over policy-making, ensuring their views and interests are directly reflected in policy . 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. In fact, it is highly unlikely they would have signed the agreement without it. If there is a difficult decision to make, then a referendum can solidify support for it. The parties stances on Brexit have also had electoral consequences, not least the weakening of Labours traditional working class support in some areas. 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. This lesson comprises: - a comparison of representative democracy and referendums - a list of UK referendums since 1973 and an accompanying PPT - how we use referendums in the UK - local and national - a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of referendums These topic pages provide a quick overview and easy access to all content that can be found on ACE for any give topic of interest - weather encyclopaedia files, electoral materials, comparative data, consolidated replies, case studies, or other. The theoretical advantage of flexibility is one that is too easily exploited for self-serving reasons. There is also an argument that governments need a specific popular mandate for any transcendental changes that were not part of the original platform on which they campaigned. They have been most famously held in Hong Kong and in Catalonia. Thousands ofjobsare at stake in the North-East. 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. Disadvantages of referendums in regards to constitutional changes. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE. EU Withdrawal Act (2018) -Also known as the Great Repeal Act this repealed the European Communities Act (1972). 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. This means that the public vote for a party and are unable to change anything once they are in power. The central governent is at Westmi. Advantages and disadvantages of the referendum instrument Several arguments are advanced in support of and in opposition to referendums. 2. Referendums give power to uneducated voters. 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. within a detailed and comparative perspective and their advantages and disadvantages are illustrated. Constitutional issues are a reserved, not devolved, power. 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. It is entirely at the discretion of the government as to whether or not to hold a referendum. Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendums, Society is more likely to accept the decision. Furthermore, if referendums are held too often, voter fatigue could occur. This term refers to the idea that once a government gets into power, the public lose their say and ability to express their opinions, enabling the government to make decisions on our behalf instead of consulting with us. It is worth noting that in terms of overall population that only 37% of the UK adult population actually voted for Brexit. For example, in 2011, the AV Referendum largely became a referendum on performance of the Liberal Democrats in coalition, rather than a referendum on changes to the voting system itself. . 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. Devolution in Scotland and Wales was presented in 1998 as the bulk of the general public voted yes in regards to wanting more power. In Africa, United Nations form of political decision-making, has been the source of much consternation in.! 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