Against

• The issue may be too complex for people to comprehend


  • The electoral system, which was the subject of the 2011 referendum, was difficult for voters to understand
• Referendums are designed to heal divisions


  Can sometimes cause them

  The EU referendum exposed deepened divides between nations (Scotland voted to remain while England voted to leave) and between age groups (only 27% of 18-24-year-olds voted to leave the EU compared to 60% of people aged 65+)

  There was an increase in racial tension, with police forces reporting rises in race-related hate crimes following the referendum
• Excessive use of referendums

  • May undermine the authority of representative democracy
  • Has been a particular danger in some states in the USA
  • In California, a number of referendums have prevented lawmakers from raising taxes which has resulted in frequent budget crises
  • If similar referendums were held in the UK, they would likely have the same effect
• Voters

  • May be swayed by emotional rather than rational appeals
  • May be influenced by false information
  • In the EU referendum in 2016, the Leave campaign claimed that withdrawing from the EU would result in a saving of £350 million per week which could be spent on the NHS