10 reasons against Scottish independence. The Scottish referendum can be seen to have benefited David Cameron as Gordon Brown promised to give Scotland and its own parliament and powers if they voted no, increasing the pressure on Ed Miliband to come through with those promises. 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. Reserved Power Powers that are kept by the Westminster Government and not devolved, for example Defence. The advantages and the disadvantages of referendums 'In the wake of the second world war, during the process of decolonisation, several countries broke free from their erstwhile colonial overlords following successful referendums. Constitutional issues are a reserved, not devolved, power. Download Free PDF. This is unlike an unwritten constitution because a written constitution is contained in one single document. . In addition to this, it covers the advantages and disadvantages of customs unions, including the loss of influence over one's country's trade policy and the possibility of . Unlike General Elections, referendums allow political parties and voters to focus entirely on a single issue. Is the Prime Minister Effectively a President? However, realistically most are politically binding. Don't use plagiarized sources. Get Revising is one of the trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. A Second Referendum. Advantages of referendums. 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. Whilst 52% of voters opted to leave the EU in the referendum, around 60% of MPs wanted to remain. . (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). (27 May 2015), Experiences with reserved seats or constituencies for women in parliamentary elections Good Friday Agreement 1998 received clear support from most of the community (70% Yes) and this allowed peace to maintain with only minor difficulties. We are working with our partners to tackle inequalities in all aspects of society, striving to make change for a fairer world and one in which people can enjoy a fulfilling, rewarding life. As a result of the legitimacy that a direct vote bestows, they can have an enormous impact in settling controversial issues. To install StudyMoose App tap 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 would create a de facto advisory referendum in Scotland, although completely unofficially. Essay on the Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Trade. Advantages and Disadvantages of Brexit Introduction: This paper discusses about Pros and Cons of Brexit and Impact of Brexit on UK Economy. To please their own political supporters Sometimes a referendum may be held for party political reasons and in the interest of a particular party, rather than the nation as a whole. For many people Brexit was a magnificent exercise in democracy in Britain. They are an example of direct democracy and contrast with the representative democracy that usually dominates politics in liberal democracies. There are fundamentally three different types of referendum: An advisory referendum This is a referendum which allows citizens to express their opinion, but it is not binding on the government hence being called advisory. There have been a number of referendums in the UK: For what reasons might referendums be held? Such episodes served to highlight both the seductive attraction and grave perils of referendums for those who decide to hold them. This infers that they can help to entrench constitutional change in a system which has an uncodified, flexible constitution and enables the public to shape the path in which Britain is heading. 806 8067 22, Registered office: International House, Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XE, Advantages and Disadvantages of Referendum, See all Government & Politics resources , Can someone please give me feedback on my A-Level Politics essay? Additional materials, such as the best quotations, synonyms and word definitions to make your writing easier are also offered here. They are currently taking the UK Government to the Supreme Court over the refusal of Westminster to countenance a second independence referendum. A referendum provides the opportunity to vote on a single-issue. 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. Opponents of referendums also argue that, if the executive has the power to determine when referendums are held, they can be used as a political tool to suit the needs of the governing party rather than the interests of democracy. Direct democracy mechanisms have been adopted, in part, to counteract these tendencies. There is therefore a danger of neverendums. In the 2015 General Election UKIP had won 3.8 million votes (12.6%) but had only secured one seat in Parliament. Advantages. Referendums have traditionally been a rarity in the UK. Referendums have become more widely used since 1997 and have helped to decide controversial policies. Advantages and disadvantages of the referendum instrument. Referendums spread power. Scottish Devolution 1997 means that it would be extremely hard for a future government to remove their power. . On 23 June 2016, the UK electorate voted to leave the European Union. Referendums provide constitutional changes that need the peoples assent. Referendums do not have a long history in the UK. 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. P1.2-Generating Electricity. 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. What are the different types of referendums? Supporters of the use of referendums argue that, in the context of increasing voter apathy and disenchantment with traditional forms of democracy, direct democracy can help to re-engage voters with politics and democracy. Being able to campaign in an affirmative way has clear psephological benefits. Despite the result, the SNP has become even stronger electorally, culminating in the winning of 56 seats in the __2015 __election. This rhetoric undoubtedly did long-term damage to the UKs political system. Referendums are used to ensure that the public are happy with the decisions in which the government makes. This is particularly the case when an amendment to a constitution which itself was approved by referendum is under consideration. Subsequently, when Brexit was not immediately forthcoming, led to allegations that Parliament had betrayed the people. Possible Constraints on a Prime Ministers Power. What are the Mechanisms for Reform and Amendment? In this referendum 16-year-olds could vote. Irresponsible government - governments are elected to govern, so should make policy decisions and be accountable for said decisions, instead of handing over responsibilities to the public. There is also an argument that governments . They differ from elections- an election fills an office (so does not directly affect policy), whereas referendums do directly affect policy. The parties stances on Brexit have also had electoral consequences, not least the weakening of Labours traditional working class support in some areas. This makes the wording of the question essential. This would allow him to lead a yes campaign. Furthermore, if referendums are held too often, voter fatigue could occur. I believe this strategy was the most likely way to keep Britain in the EU. Direct Democracy Democracy in which power over decision making is but directly in the hands of citizens. Representative Democracy Democracy in which power over decision making is given to elected representatives. This really is another downside associated with having referendums in the UK as arrters may lose interest in politics. This is a disadvantage as this caused upset among many people in Scotland and the decision did not seem fair or an accurate representation of what the people wanted. Those who see virtue in the idea of a more direct . To refer to . Some did so, others could not. PolitiFact | Whats missing from media claims linking Google Trends to Brexit vote, Prime Ministers Questions Highlights 12.10.2022, Whether Britain should remain or leave the EU, 55.3% of voters chose to remain in the UK, Whether the Alternative Vote should replace First Past the Post for UK General Elections, 67.9% of voters chose to retain First Past the Post, Welsh Assembly Legislative Powers Referendum, Whether the Welsh Assembly should be given more legislative powers, 63.5% of voters chose to increase the legislative powers of the Welsh Assembly, Whether the North-East of England should have its own devolved assembly, 77.9% of voters chose to reject the establishment of a North-East Assembly, Whether the Good Friday agreement should be ratified, 71.1% of voters chose to ratify the Good Friday Agreement, Whether devolution should be granted to Greater London, 72% of of voters chose to establish a devolved system for London, Whether devolution should be introduced to Wales, 50.3% of voters chose to devolve powers to Wales, Whether devolution should be introduced to Scotland, 74.3% of voters chose to devolve players to Scotland, 79.7% of voters chose to reject devolution to Wales, 51.6% of voters chose to devolve powers to Scotland. 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. To honour a political agreement Sometimes holding a referendum may be agreed by political parties as part of another wider agreement being reached. First is their intrinsic worth as an exercise in direct democracy. The Australian government is presently considering a plebiscite on the issue of marriage equality even though a clear majority in favour exists in parliament; many are strongly opposed on the grounds that such a campaign would be socially divisive, and might even provide a platform that legitimises hate speech. Referendums are a direct vote by citizens on a political issue. It was a protest against . 2) What are the main a) advantages and b) disadvantages for the UK of an uncodified constitution? The Scots referendum saw high levels of engagement in complex economic and constitutional issues. Therefore, it is not really the exercise in direct democracy. (16 Aug 2012), Replacement of polling committee chairpersons? They also claim that, since in many countries turnout at referendums is lower than at national elections, the argument that referendums increase the legitimacy of political decisions does not stand up. 5. constitutional change) have legitimacy, which is correct for any change that affects the governing of the country, May lead to ill-informed decisions, as the public may not know the specifics and consequences of a policy decision (unlike the government), Parliament is weakened, as sovereignty is undermined, so decisions are not made on the basis of careful discussion, debate and scrutiny, Governments can absolve themselves of responsibility, meaning they make themselves less accountable, Government could be strengthened- they decide the timing of referendums and can dominate the publicity campaign, meaning they could influence the result unfairly, Referendums provide a snapshot of public opinion at one time, so may not be the most reliable method of choosing a policy direction. 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.. In his autobiography Nick Clegg says: First Past the Post is enshrined in the DNA of the Conservative Party not least because it has consistently delivered Conservative majority governments, even as their share of the popular vote has steadily declined. Referendums allow for an individual issue to be addressed not as a broader part of party policies, but on the merits and drawbacks of it. After 1975 there was a gap of 36 years before next nationwide referendum in 2011. Has sovereignty moved between different branches of government? GCSE Renewable Energy Sources (1) 4.3 Power from the sun and earth. CHAPTER 1: Introduction. There are a number of potential strengths of holding referendums within the UK political system: It can be argued that referendums provide a check on the power of the government in the UK, something that is often referred to as the elective dictatorship. Technically, because of parliamentary sovereignty, all referendums in the UK are advisory. On one hand, you have SEO's more organic approach, where you gradually cultivate an audience, strengthen trust, and build your brand awareness. Indeed, the average majority since 1945 has been 58.4 seats. In fact, until 1975 there had not been a single nationwide referendum on any political issue. This is another disadvantage associated with holding referendums in the UK as voters may lose interest in politics. For more information on this licence see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0 . On the other hand, PPC lets you buy prominent positioning on search pages, like Google, potentially bringing much larger audiences to your website. Seats where one party regularly scores more than 50 per cent of the vote (210 seats . Second, many technology firms rely on inventors from all . There are three reasons for this. 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. The Ways in Which Parliament Interacts with the Executive. The legislative refers the question to the electorate. Brexit became incredibly emotionalised and was not a referendum in which facts seemed to mean for very much. The only real advantage in an uncodified constitution is that it avoids all the problems involved in achieving a codified one. Devolution in Scotland and Wales was presented in 1998 as the bulk of the general public voted yes in regards to wanting more power. 5. Answer (1 of 4): The advantage of a referendum is that it is giving direct democratic control to the people. 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. Focus. 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'. EEC Membership 1975 stopped the Labour government from collapsing. In the UK, there is a system of representative democracy called "liberal democracy" - in which the people vote for a government through regular elections with secret ballots and a choice of candidates. Eu in the 2015 General Election UKIP had won 3.8 million votes ( %! 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