Discuss the view that referendums should be used more often in the United Kingdom. [30]
June 2009
A “Debate” type essay – “Discuss…” “Assess the case for…”
– need to provide arguments for both sides
– How many arguments?
– Structure - paired or 1st ½ - 2nd ½?
– What does “more often” mean here?
- INTRO – needs to define and then preview arguments.
- Arguments need to be important and distinct – planning!
- Need each argument to give clear explanation of why it is a reason for greater use of refs, or a reason against.
+ May need to explain why something is good/bad!
- Need to support each argument with factual material/examples
o From refs held in UK
o From refs held elsewhere
o From refs promised in UK but not held
o How does this example support my pt? – explain!
- Higher level thinking for top analysis marks:
o Comparing factors
o Linking factors
o Judgement in the Conclusion
Resources
L & F, Chapter 1 + your own notes from class
OCR book
Politics Review September 2010, Should Referendums be used more widely in Britain? Kay Moxon and Alan Bird
Politics Review, September 2011, Defeat for the Yes men: the AV referendum, Paul Jeater
Politics Review, February 2012, Referendums: Without a Consensus the answer is “no”, Anthony Bachelor
Politics Review Nov 2008, Referendums in the UK, Matt Qvortrup
Extension resources
Article on wording issues - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11442445
BBC briefing - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1714318.stm
Call for an EU referendum - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/7987545/EU-Referendum-Now-for-the-most-important-vote-of-all.html
Blog post critical of referendums - http://www.thecommentator.com/article/570/value_sovereignty_then_forget_referendums
Blog post on lessons from the AV referendum - http://www.platform10.org/2011/10/referendums-what-are-the-lessons-from-history/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=referendums-what-are-the-lessons-from-history
Politics Professor Lord Norton on the case against referendums - http://nortonview.wordpress.com/2011/05/03/the-case-against-referendums/
BBC article on the Tories’ EU in-out referendum plans - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23186128
People’s Pledge campaign for a UK vote on leaving the EU - http://www.peoplespledge.org/
Electoral Commission on Referendums in the UK -
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums
House of Lords report (see p13-20 – very useful) - http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldselect/ldconst/99/99.pdf
Unlock Democracy paper on Citizens’ Initiatives (esp p6 – 18) - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/voter/NPNIni.pdf
Debate case - http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/politics/house-calls-increased-use-referendums
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