Direct Democracy

Representative Democracy

A system where voters elect politicians to make decisions on their behalf, while retaining the sovereignty to renew or remove their mandate.

Practicality

Due to the complexity of political decisions, it is impractical for the public to vote on all issues, making representative democracy efficient.

Expertise

Professional politicians possess knowledge on political matters and balance representation of people and party interests.

Protection of Minority Rights

Prevents the tyranny of the majority, safeguarding the rights of minorities.

Accountability Principle

Ensures accountability as voters can remove representatives by not renewing their mandate if dissatisfied with their performance.

Disengagement of MPs

MPs may become disconnected from public affairs due to the Westminster bubble.

Conflicts of Interests

Instances like George Osborne becoming editor of the evening standard can lead to conflicts of interest.

Unrepresentative due to FPTP

The First Past the Post system can result in an unrepresentative outcome.

Lack of Diversity Representation

Representative democracy may lack diversity in terms of representation.

Lords

The existence of the House of Lords can undermine the core principle of representative democracy.