Referendums Table
Friday, 18 November, 2022 9:26 AM
Referendums Issue Outcome Notes
Brexit Referendum Whether the UK should stay in They voted to leave - 51.9% voted to leave the EU Ha
2016 the EU or leave the EU the EU - 72.2% voter turnout
- The big 2 parties were split
- Conservatives and Labour MPs
campaigned for both sides
AV Referendum Whether the electoral system They voted to keep - Was part of a deal between
2011 for the House of Commons the FPTP electoral the Conservatives and the
should change from FPTP to AV system LibDems during the coalition
government
- Low voter turnout (42.2%)
- 67.9% voted no
- Only 10/440 local voting areas
had ≥50% voting yes
Good Friday Whether there was support for They voted - 71% had voted yes
Agreement a Good Friday Agreement overwhelmingly to - Simultaneous referendum held
Referendum 1998 between Northern Ireland and have a Good Friday in the Republic of Ireland
the Republic of Ireland Agreement - The referendum in the
Republic of Ireland had 94.4%
voting yes
Scottish Should Scotland become They voted to stay in - 84.6% voter turnout
Independence independent from the UK or the union - 55.3% said no to becoming
Referendum 2014 stay in the union independent
- Highest recorded turnout in
the UK since the 1910 General
Election
Scottish Devolution Creation of a devolved Scottish They voted 'yes-yes' - 60.4% voter turnout
referendum 1997 Parliament with tax-varying to create a devolved - 74.3% voted yes
powers government as well - Only referendum in the UK so
as letting them have far to have 2 questions asked
tax-varying powers simultaneously
English Mayoral 11 major cities in the UK had a Only Bristol decided - Mayoral system allows the
Referendums 2012 referendum on whether to to change to a people to choose a mayor
have a mayoral system or the mayoral system and directly
council system Doncaster decided - A council system is where they
to maintain their elect councillors and the
mayoral system councillors choose a council
leader
- Occurred in cities like Leeds,
Manchester, Bristol,
Birmingham
- They all had low voter turnout
(24.1% to 33.5% turnout)
Bristol Mayoral Whether to have a directly Bristol decided to - Only city amongst the 11 who
Referendum 2012 elected mayoral system or a change to a directly decided to swap to the
council system elected mayoral mayoral system
system - 53.3% voted yes
- 24.1% turnout rate
1975 EEC Whether the UK should join The UK voted to be - 67.2% voted yes
referendum the Common Market/European in the Common - 64.6% voter turnout
Communities membership Market/European
Community
Welsh Devolution Creation of a devolved Welsh They voted yes to a - Very close (50.3% to 49.7%)
referendum 1997 Parliament devolved Welsh - A better result for the yes side
parliament compared to 1979 where
79.9% voted no
03. Electoral Systems Page 1
Friday, 18 November, 2022 9:26 AM
Referendums Issue Outcome Notes
Brexit Referendum Whether the UK should stay in They voted to leave - 51.9% voted to leave the EU Ha
2016 the EU or leave the EU the EU - 72.2% voter turnout
- The big 2 parties were split
- Conservatives and Labour MPs
campaigned for both sides
AV Referendum Whether the electoral system They voted to keep - Was part of a deal between
2011 for the House of Commons the FPTP electoral the Conservatives and the
should change from FPTP to AV system LibDems during the coalition
government
- Low voter turnout (42.2%)
- 67.9% voted no
- Only 10/440 local voting areas
had ≥50% voting yes
Good Friday Whether there was support for They voted - 71% had voted yes
Agreement a Good Friday Agreement overwhelmingly to - Simultaneous referendum held
Referendum 1998 between Northern Ireland and have a Good Friday in the Republic of Ireland
the Republic of Ireland Agreement - The referendum in the
Republic of Ireland had 94.4%
voting yes
Scottish Should Scotland become They voted to stay in - 84.6% voter turnout
Independence independent from the UK or the union - 55.3% said no to becoming
Referendum 2014 stay in the union independent
- Highest recorded turnout in
the UK since the 1910 General
Election
Scottish Devolution Creation of a devolved Scottish They voted 'yes-yes' - 60.4% voter turnout
referendum 1997 Parliament with tax-varying to create a devolved - 74.3% voted yes
powers government as well - Only referendum in the UK so
as letting them have far to have 2 questions asked
tax-varying powers simultaneously
English Mayoral 11 major cities in the UK had a Only Bristol decided - Mayoral system allows the
Referendums 2012 referendum on whether to to change to a people to choose a mayor
have a mayoral system or the mayoral system and directly
council system Doncaster decided - A council system is where they
to maintain their elect councillors and the
mayoral system councillors choose a council
leader
- Occurred in cities like Leeds,
Manchester, Bristol,
Birmingham
- They all had low voter turnout
(24.1% to 33.5% turnout)
Bristol Mayoral Whether to have a directly Bristol decided to - Only city amongst the 11 who
Referendum 2012 elected mayoral system or a change to a directly decided to swap to the
council system elected mayoral mayoral system
system - 53.3% voted yes
- 24.1% turnout rate
1975 EEC Whether the UK should join The UK voted to be - 67.2% voted yes
referendum the Common Market/European in the Common - 64.6% voter turnout
Communities membership Market/European
Community
Welsh Devolution Creation of a devolved Welsh They voted yes to a - Very close (50.3% to 49.7%)
referendum 1997 Parliament devolved Welsh - A better result for the yes side
parliament compared to 1979 where
79.9% voted no
03. Electoral Systems Page 1
