REFERENDUMS

Question 1

HOW DOES A REFERENDUM WORK?

Answer 1

GOVT DIRECTLY ASKS CITIZENS TO VOTE ON A QUESTION OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE. FRAMED IN THE FORM OF A BINARY Q (YES OR NO)

Question 2

WHY WOULD A GOVT CALL A REFERENDUM?

Answer 2

1. GREATER LEGITIMACY
2. PUBLIC PRESSURE
3. MANIFESTO PROMISE
4. ENTRENCHES CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES( ANYTHING SET UP BY A REFERENDUM CAN ONLY BE UNDONE BY A REFERENDUM)

Question 3

WHAT IS A BINDING REFERENDUM?

Answer 3

REFERENDUMS WITH LEGAL FORCE MEANING THE GOVT IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO IMPLEMENT THE DECISION OF THE VOTE.

Question 4

WHAT IS A NON - BINDING REFERENDUM?

Answer 4

DOESN’T CARRY LEGAL FORCE SO GOVT IS NOT REQUIRED TO ACT ON THE RESULT. ALL REFERENDUMS INTHE UK ARE NON - BINDING AS PARLIAMENT IN SOVEREIGN.

Question 5

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN REFERENDUMS AND ELECTIONS?

Answer 5

DIRECT VS REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
SINGLE VS MULTI ISSUE
BINDING VS NON BINDING
SET BY PARLIAMENT VS SET BY LAW

Question 6

WHO CAN CALL A REFERENDUM IN THE UK?

Answer 6

ONLY PARLIAMENT - ACT OF PARLIAMENT IS REQUIRED

Question 7

HOW CAN REFERENDUMS CREATE COMPETING MANDATES?

Answer 7

MAY UNDERMINE SOVEREIGNITY OF PARLIAMENT E.G VOTE TO LEAVE EU IN 2016 BUT ELECTED MEMBERS FROM 2017 ELECTION COULDN’T AGREE ON WHAT BREXIT WOULD LOOK LIKE AS SOME MPS WERE AGAINST BREXIT. CONFLICT UNTIL ANOTHER ELECTION IN 2019 WHERE BORIS STOOD ON A PRO BREXIT PLATFORM.

Question 8

WHY CAN THE RESULTS OF REFERENDUMS BE DIFFIULT TO IMPLEMENT?

Answer 8

REFERENDUM QS ARE LEFT SIMPLE TO ENSURE UNDERSTANDING AND LEGITIMACY BUT THIS SIMPLICITY COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF DETAIL E.G BREXIT REFERENDUM DIDN’T SAY WHAT BREXIT WOULD LOOK LIKE- DID IT MEAN LEAVING THE SINGLE MARKET AND CUSTOMS UNION?

Question 9

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF REFERENDUMS?

Answer 9

1. PUREST FORM OF DIRECT DEMOCRACY
   (ENHANCES DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY)
2. SOLVES STALEMATES E.G GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT
3. INCREASED VOTER PARTICIPATION
4. ELITIST PARTIES/POLITICIANS BYPASSED

Question 10

WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF REFERENDUMS?

Answer 10

1.UNDERMINES SOVEREIGNTY OF PARLIAMENT
2. ISSUES TOO COMPLEX FOR PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND
3. CAN DIVIDE COMMUNITIES
4. REGULAR USE MAY LEAD TO VOTER APATHY

Question 11

WHICH REFERENDUM HAD THE LOWEST VOTER TURNOUT?

Answer 11

GLA REFERENDUM 1998
34.6% TURNOUT

Question 12

WHY DID THE TORIES CALL THE EU REFERENDUM?

Answer 12

WAS A 2015 MANIFESTO PROMISE FOLLOWING UKIP SUCCESS IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS - THEY PRESSURED THE GOVT TO LEAVE THE EU