Referendums
A referendum, as my friend and politics buddy Nathaniel would say is the ‘consultation of the population’. Basically it’s a political question that is asked directly to the public by a vote that has two answers. For example in 2011, there was a referendum asked to the UK public by the government (mostly the Liberal Democrats) whether it was a good idea to change the voting system from the First Past The Post system/winner takes all (if over 325 constituencies are won that becomes the next government) to the AV plus system (the alternative vote that gives minority parties more of a chance to become government and would most likely result in a coalition government). This resulted in a massive no result but it was a nice try.
So that is the jist of it, a referendum is a simple question with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Most of these have been on constitutional issues. There are two types of referendum, these are pre legislative meaning that it is consulting the nation before a law has been passed. There is also a post legislative meaning that it is consulting the nation either after a law has been passed or the question will be on a piece of legislation.
In the UK there have been referendums on:
· Major legislation, such as the Alternative Vote Referendum
· Minor or local, such as whether to have a mayor or not.
· Prohibition, such as whether to make public houses close on Sundays
· Transport, whether bringing in a congestion charge or not
· Parish, whether to give more power to a parish council
Note: a referendum is not compulsory for a government to follow but they would be very unpopular if they did not go with the view of the public.
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