a general vote by the electorate on a single political issue which has been referred to them for a direct decision; it is a form of direct democracy

Should moral decisions be decided by referendum?

Citizenship

What is direct democracy?

What roles can citizens play in policy shaping?

Can citizens play a bigger role in select committees?

Should environmental issues be decided by referendum?

Should political problems be solved by a referendum?

Should the UK involve citizens more directly in democracy?

Through a series of case studies from across the globe pupils explore different methods of direct democracy and consider how UK citizens can play a part in shaping national policy.

How can politicians involve citizens in direct decision making?

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Depiction or discussion of abortion, euthanasia, organ donation.

a general vote on a single political issue

Match the terms to their correct definitions.

Which of these is an example of a moral issue that could be debated in the UK?

Only the Government can influence moral decisions.

Citizens can be involved through consultations and campaigns.

Which statement is most accurate about moral issues in the UK?

The UK Government sometimes holds public {{}} to hear people’s views before passing laws.

The Government carried out a limited consultation.

The Public Order Act 2023 was introduced.

Groups such as Greenpeace and Liberty challenged the Act.

The Court of Appeal confirmed that parts of the Act were unlawful.

Put these events related to the Public Order Act 2023 in chronological order.

They guarantee the public makes the best decision.

They give people a direct say on important moral issues.

They avoid public involvement in complex topics.

Which of the following is a strength of using referendums to make moral decisions?

a public vote on a specific political issue

a group of citizens discussing and advising on an issue

an elected person who represents people in Parliament

Match the term to its correct definition.

Who makes the final decision on most environmental policies in the UK?

environmental issues are not of public importance

environmental issues do not affect the public

some environmental issues are complex and need expert input

referendums are not allowed to be used on environmental issues

Why might some people argue referendums are **not** always suitable for environmental issues?

Which country used a citizens' assembly to help decide on biodiversity policies?

They allow experts to make all decisions.

They give the public a direct say in important issues.

They are always quick and cheap to organise.

What is one strength of using referendums to decide environmental issues?

One weakness of {{}} is that they can be expensive and time-consuming.

Starter Quiz