Facilitators' Answers —
English
 
Subscribe to ACE Newsletter
These topic pages provide a quick overview and easy access to all content that can be found on ACE for any give topic of interest - weather encyclopaedia files, electoral materials, comparative data, consolidated replies, case studies, or other.

ELECTORAL FRAMEWORK

Legal Framework Boundary Delimitation Electoral Systems

ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION

Gender and Elections Parties and Candidates Disability and Elections Media and Elections Civic and Voter Education Direct Democracy

ELECTORAL MANAGEMENT

Electoral Management Cost of Elections

ELECTORAL INTEGRITY

Electoral Integrity Campaign Finance Measuring Electoral Quality Election Observation Electoral Assistance

ELECTORAL OPERATIONS

Voter Registration Voting Operations Voter Identification Results Management Out of Country Voting Elections and Technology Elections and Security
Countries
Encyclopaedia Electoral Materials Comparative Data Election Calendar Observation Portal BRIDGE Extended Learning Latest Updates
Ask the Experts Consolidated Replies Find An Expert Access ACE Practitioners' Workspace
About ACE The History of ACE Contact ACE ACE Partners Practitioners' Network FAQ
Document Actions

Direct Democracy

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments: Parliament can call for a UK wide, national referendum or English Regional referendums to be held under a generic piece of legislation called the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000. It is generic legislation for all UK, national and regional referendums. Further subsequent legislation is required before a referendum can actually be held.
Source: Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000, Section 101 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/41/section/101 Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: Political Parties elections and referendums Act 2000, Part VII. The Conduct Regulations https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/41/part/VII Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD004

Optional referendums (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments:
Source: Political Parties elections and referendums Act 2000, Part VII. The Conduct Regulations https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/41/part/VII Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments: Referendums in the UK are held at the discretion of Parliament, meaning they must be authorized through legislation passed by Parliament.
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)
Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments: There is no formal legal mechanism for citizens to compel Parliament to place a specific issue on its legislative agenda through a public initiative. The closest equivalent is the UK Parliament petitions system, where: - Petitions with 10,000+ signatures receive a government response. - Petitions with 100,000+ signatures are considered for debate in Parliament. However, these debates do not guarantee legislative action and are non-binding.
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD007


Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer: b. No
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD129


Question:Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer: b. Sometimes binding
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/41/contents
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD130


Question:Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer: c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/41/contents
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
DD131


Question:Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer: a. Yes
Comments:
Source: Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook.pdf Local Government Act 2000. Part II https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/22/contents https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/22/part/II/crossheading/referendums
Verified: 2025/06/30
(Found a mistake? Please let us know.)
The data on this page is continuously updated. Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.