Referendums: Use and Significance

This lesson examines the use of referendums in UK politics — their history, significance, advantages, disadvantages, and the ongoing debate about their place in a representative democracy.

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What is a Referendum?

A referendum is a vote in which the electorate is asked to approve or reject a specific proposal, typically on a constitutional or major policy issue. Referendums are a form of direct democracy, allowing citizens to make a decision directly rather than through their elected representatives.

In the UK, referendums are advisory rather than legally binding (Parliament remains sovereign), although in practice governments have always treated the result as binding.

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Key UK Referendums

Year	Question	Result	Turnout
1975	Should the UK remain in the European Economic Community?	Yes (67.2%)	64.0%
1997	Should there be a Scottish Parliament?	Yes (74.3%)	60.4%
1997	Should there be a Welsh Assembly?	Yes (50.3%)	50.1%
1998	Do you support the Good Friday Agreement?	Yes (71.1%)	81.1%
2004	Should there be an elected regional assembly for the North East?	No (77.9%)	47.7%
2011	Should the UK adopt the Alternative Vote for general elections?	No (67.9%)	42.2%
2014	Should Scotland be an independent country?	No (55.3%)	84.6%
2016	Should the UK remain a member of the EU or leave the EU?	Leave (51.9%)	72.2%

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The EU Referendum 2016: A Case Study

The 2016 referendum on EU membership is the most significant and controversial referendum in recent UK history.

The Leave campaign argued:

• The UK should "take back control" of its laws, borders, and money
• Immigration from the EU was too high and needed to be controlled
• The UK sent £350 million a week to the EU (a claim widely disputed)
• The UK could negotiate better trade deals independently

The Remain campaign argued:

• EU membership provided economic stability and access to the single market
• Leaving would damage trade, jobs, and the economy
• The UK benefited from freedom of movement and EU research funding
• The EU helped maintain peace and cooperation in Europe

Result: Leave won with 51.9% of the vote on a 72.2% turnout.

Aftermath:

• Deep political division and years of parliamentary gridlock over the terms of Brexit
• Three Prime Ministers resigned over Brexit (Cameron, May, Johnson)
• The 2019 general election was dominated by the issue, with Boris Johnson winning on a "Get Brexit Done" platform
• Debate continues about the economic and social consequences of leaving the EU

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Arguments For Referendums