By Denis MacShane - 6th June 2011
Denis MacShane wonders whether the time has come to ban referendums.
Can we have a referendum to end referendums? Barely was the predictable result declared on the AV plebiscite than the cry arose to have one on Scottish independence. It is not clear whether those born in Scotland like me can vote. Others are campaigning for an in-out referendum on Europe.
I began my political life opposing the then highly popular call for a referendum on restoring capital punishment. It would have resulted in a Yes vote, and the Birmingham Six would have been judicially killed. In the early 1970s however, Britain didn’t do referendums. Margaret Thatcher, rightly, called them “a device of demagogues and dictators”. She was quoting Clement Attlee, Labour’s greatest-ever prime minister, who lived through the plebiscite-mad 1930s, when referendums were used to endorse populist reactionary politics across Europe.
We don’t ‘do’ dictators, but adult intelligent politicians morphed into demagogues in the weeks before the AV vote as they screamed each other down with mutual insults. Both sides stretched truth to breaking point. The referendum was financed by secret hedge fund Tories or dubious electoral campaign groups that would financially benefit from a Yes vote.
The cause for this unhappy fiasco is the iron law of all plebiscites, namely that they reduce a complex argument to a single issue. Plebiscites and populist politics go hand in hand. That lesson should have been learnt after the last national referendum, the granddaddy of them all, the 1975 plebiscite on staying in the European Community. The vote was a clear Yes. But did it settle the matter? Within a decade, Labour was showing its contempt for the 1975 decision by calling for a withdrawal from Europe in its 1983 manifesto.
Two decades later, and the Conservatives underWilliam Hague were refusing to accept the 1975 referendum result when he told voters that if a Labour government stayed in the EU, “Britain would become a foreign land”.
Until 1975, Britain was a plebiscite-free polity. Like the United States, Anglosphere democracy has always been wary of populist referendums to settle decisions that affect every citizen, which should be decided by Congress or the Commons. Sadly Labour gave away this principle to appease its Bennite left in the 1970s. There were utterly spurious referendums after 1997 on devolution in Scotland and Wales, and to endorse peace in Northern Ireland – noble causes, but already with a clear parliamentary majority endorsing them.
The Liberal Democrats have always insisted on referendums as a magic carpet to better democracy, though that view may now need revision.
David Cameron promised a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty but sensibly dropped the pledge once in government. Can he and other party leaders learn from the AV plebiscite and decide that parliamentary deliberation has served Britain and America well over decades, indeed centuries, and should not be replaced by populist plebiscites?
A law banning plebiscites might seem antidemocratic, but would be the first step to making the Commons the place where the nation’s decisions are debated and decided.
Article Comments
The most urgent Referendum we Britishers need at the moment is one to decide if we stay or leave that cesspool of corruption, the EU.
Next we need a Referendum on the ability to recall MPs so those who are not working for the good of the country or those who are filling their pockets at voters expense can be got rid off - no 'payoff', pension forfeited and jail or not as warrented.
Referendums are needed until we have honest and trustworthy politicians in office - and that isn't happening anytime soon.
Biffo
8th Jun 2011 at 1:07 am
Until 1975, Britain was a plebiscite-free polity. Like the United States, Anglosphere democracy has always been wary of populist referendums to settle decisions that affect every citizen, which should be decided by Congress or the Commons. Sadly Labour gave away this principle to appease its Bennite left in the 1970s. There were utterly spurious referendums after 1997 on devolution in Scotland and Wales, and to endorse peace in Northern Ireland- noble causes, but already with a clear parliamentary majority endorsing them.
There are loads of referenda in the US which makes that part of the article wrong.
I like the bit about implying Hitler supported referenda so they are a bad thing - very intellectual.I believe that if enough voters want a referendum we should have one. Because the country belongs to us,we should have the ability to change what parliament does otherwise we have an elected dictatorship with absolute power for 5 years - which I guess is what Dennis McShane wants, I just wish he would come and say it honestly.
David
7th Jun 2011 at 4:57 pm
McShane is rather ignorant of the reality in the United States with regards to 'populist plebiscites'. National referenda aren't used, but the US is a federal system with substantial powers given to the states to legislate. At State level, propositions on legislation are used on a regular basis in many states as referenda on issues such as marriage, stem cell research etc.
Joe
7th Jun 2011 at 11:28 am
There were four referendums in the United Kingdom up to 1979. Since 1997, there have been 39 and nearly all of them have come from Labour Governments of which Denis Macshane has been a part of.
Did anyone see Denis Macshane object to referendums when he was in Government ?Denis Macshane has stood on manifestos advocating referendums including on the Euro and the EU constitution - which he voted against holding a referendum on despite his manifesto pledge.
Hypocrisy
7th Jun 2011 at 8:47 am
Sure! Why don't you ban general elections as well then you can be sure you can keep on troughing with no worries about being voted out?
Sean O'Hare
6th Jun 2011 at 6:42 pm
'Parliamentary deliberation has served Britain and America well over decades'
Are you thoroughly delusional? You've done a cracking job so far haven't you?
Have you noticed the mess we are in?
I despair for the British people, I really do.
Sue
6th Jun 2011 at 1:54 pm
Actually Richard Switzerland isn't a particularly good example - the use of referendum there actually stopped women getting the right to vote until 1971!
Bob
6th Jun 2011 at 1:17 pm
The political parties have failed us since the war, particularly yours Mr McShane!
Now you want us to trust you untrustworthy lot to make our decisions for us, you really don't get it do you?
We are making increasing demands for referenda because we do not feel we are being represented and we are not able to trust you.
It seems to work in Switzerland!
Richard Calhoun
6th Jun 2011 at 12:31 pm
Have your say...
Please enter your comments below.