Referendums (Edexcel A Level Politics): Revision Note

How referendums work

• A referendum is a form of direct democracy in which voters decide on a single specific issue by choosing yes or no

• Although the government chooses when to hold them, the results are not legally binding, meaning Parliament can choose whether or not to implement the outcome

The referendum process

1. The government decides whether to hold a referendum

• Only the UK government or Parliament can call a referendum

  • There is no legal requirement to use referendums

  • They are held when the government chooses to seek public approval on a major issue

• Most UK referendums have focused on big constitutional questions, such as devolution or EU membership

2. A single, clear question is set

• The question is usually written in the form of a yes/no choice to make the vote as clear as possible

• The Electoral Commission may review and approve the wording to ensure it is understandable and unbiased

3. Voters cast their votes

• Campaigns supporting each option get underway

  • The 2016 EU referendum featured high profile 'Leave' and 'Remain campaigns

• All eligible voters receive a ballot paper with the question and the options.

  • Voters simply choose “Yes” or “No”, or relevant equivalents such as Remain/Leave

• In this way, referendums are much simpler than elections, which involve choosing between many candidates or parties

4. The result is counted and announced

• Votes are counted across the whole area covered by the referendum (e.g. Scotland, Wales, UK-wide)

• The option with the majority of votes wins

• The result is announced, either in Parliament or in the media

5. The outcome is not legally binding

• Parliament is not required by law to act on the result

• However, in practice, governments almost always follow the outcome because of the strong political pressure created by a public vote

  • This makes the result politically binding, even if it is not legally enforceable

The use of referendums in the UK

• Since the late 1990s, referendums have played an important role in settling major constitutional questions across the UK

  • Governments have used them to ask the public directly about issues such as devolution, electoral reform and EU membership

• Although the results are not legally binding, they carry strong political weight, and in practice they have shaped some of the most significant changes in modern UK politics

Key UK referendums since 1997

An evaluation of referendums

• Debates about referendums focus on whether giving the public a direct say strengthens or weakens the UK’s representative democracy

  • Supporters argue that referendums provide legitimacy, boost engagement and help resolve major constitutional issues

  • Critics, however, warn that they can oversimplify complex questions, fuel populism and undermine the role of elected representatives

Arguments in favour of referendums

• Legitimacy

  • They give strong democratic authority to major constitutional decisions, especially with high turnout and clear results

• Boost participation

  • They encourage political engagement and increase voter involvement in key national issues

• Resolve controversies

  • They can settle divisive or long-running debates quickly by giving the final decision to the public

• Public accountability

  • They make the people clearly responsible for difficult or controversial outcomes

• Improve political education

  • Campaigns can raise public awareness and understanding of important issues

Arguments against referendums

• Oversimplification

  • They reduce complex issues to a simple yes/no question, which may not capture the full implications

• Risk of populism

  • Voters may be influenced by emotional appeals, misinformation or simplistic slogans

• Undermines representative democracy

  • MPs are elected to make informed decisions, and referendums may weaken their role

• Majority dominance

  • “Winner takes all” outcomes can ignore or harm minority views

• Political manipulation

  • Governments can call referendums when it benefits them politically rather than when it benefits the public

• Non-binding results cause confusion

  • Legally, results can be ignored, but in practice they rarely are, placing governments in difficult positions