Referendums

What four referendums have there been since 2000?

1. Giving more power to Welsh assembly

2. AV Referendum 2011

3. Giving Scotland a vote on independence

4. EU Referendum

Why was the EU Referendum controversial ?

• It gave only two choices- to leave/remain

• The leave campaign was found to have broken the law by the electoral commission in 2017

What was needed to ensure the decision would be enforced by parliament and not just government ?

2017 Gina Miller S.C court case

What might the government call a referendum in response to?

Public pressure

Why did the government have to allow an independence referendum for Scotland in 2014?

The rise of the SNP→ public pressure

Why contributed to the government accepting to hold an EU referendum in 2016?

The rise in popularity of UKIP in 2015 GE- won 12.6% of the vote- The conservatives feared losing seats to UKIP

What can referendums help resolve?

Controversial issues dividing a party

What did the Conservative become even more divided on after the EU Referendum?

What type of Brexit we should opt for

What do referendums provide when deciding on large constitutional changes ?

Legitimacy

What percentage of people voted to leave/remain in the EU?

• Leave- 51.9%

• Remain- 48.1%

What percentage of people voted for creating a Welsh Parliament in 1997?

50\.3%

What percentage of people voted for the Welsh assembly receiving primary legislative powers in 2011?

63\.5%

What percentage of people voted to create a Scottish parliament in 1997?

74\.3%

What percentage of Scottish people voted to remain in the UK in 2014?

55\.3%

Why does Parliament not have to follow the result of a referendum ?

Parliamentary sovereignty

what forces a government to follow the result of a referendum ?

Public Pressure

Why have some questioned the mandate of the Brexit Referendum result ?

Both Leave/Remain were not truthful in their campaigning

Why was the Leave campaign fined by the electoral commission?

They exceeded the statutory spending limit of £7 Million by nearly 500,000

BeLeave- unregistered campaigner exceeded spending limit of £10,000 by £666,000

What is the consequence of the use of referendums in the UK?

Increase in Public expectation for Referendums

Why did May say we couldn’t have another Brexit Referendum ?

It would threaten social cohesion

What can the increase in reliance on direct democracy cause conflict between?

The public and their representatives

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What do referendums infringe on?

The “Trustee” model of democracy