A-Level Politics - UK Politics

What is direct democracy?

The citizens in a direct democracy vote themselves on the policies and laws which are made by the government as opposed to acting through others.

How does the UK do direct democracy?

Referendums/E-Petitions

What are referendums?

Citizens directly vote on issues and the government creates policy based on the response.

How has the UK used referendums?

The United Kingdom European Union referendum 2016:

• 33 million UK citizens voted on whether to remain a member of the EU or leave, 51.89% voted to leave.

How has the UK used online petitions?

• UK Parliament has set up a platform for citizens to make and sign online petitions.

• If a petition gains over 100,000 signatures then parliament may debate the topic.

• But, a topic must be sponsored by the ‘Backbench Business Committee’ so it is not an entirely direct democracy.

Example of an UK online petition?

• 1.6 million people signed a petition to stop US President Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the UK.

• MPs then debated Trump’s visit to Parliament and changed it from a ‘state visit’ to a ‘working visit’ in 2018.

Advantages of Direct Democracy?

• Ensures a strong level of openness between citizens and the government.

• People are more likely to engage in the political process if they believe their opinion will make a difference.

Disadvantages of Direct Democracy?

• Voters may be less knowledgeable and less able to make an informed decision than a representative politician.

• Too time-consuming, expensive, and may not be practical to make frequent decisions. For a big country with millions of citizens, direct democracy is especially difficult.

• The way in which questions are phrased and the timing of them can manipulate results.

• People may vote with their emotions rather than considering all of the options available.

Example of Direct Democracy impracticality?

The Cabinet Office estimated that the total cost of the 2016 EU Referendum was £142.4m (including the cost of running polling stations and counting votes).

Example of Direct Democracy manipulation?

• The wording of the 2016 EU Referendum was changed from "yes/no" to "remain/leave".

• This is because "yes/no" questions may benefit the "yes" side.

What is Representative Democracy?

• Elected representatives from organised parties make the decisions on the behalf of their voters.

• Regular elections give representatives authority and make the system legitimate.

How is the UK a Representative Democracy?

• Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected to Parliament by the electorate in the general election.

• MPs in the UK are accountable to the citizens who have voted for them.

• Political power in the UK is mainly held by representatives, not the public.

How are MPs elected?

• General elections involve voters voting for a candidate to represent their local area, called a constituency.

• There are 650 constituencies in the UK, so 650 representatives are voted for by citizens. The winning candidates gain a ‘seat’ in the House of Commons.

• These representatives act on behalf of their constituency in parliament