Political commentator appears before referendums inquiry
27 January 2010 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The House of Lords Constitution Committee inquiry into referendums contines at 10.45am, when evidence is heard from Steve Richards, Chief Political Commentator at The Independent.
The Constitution Committee inquiry will focus on referendums and the potential constitutional impact of their greater use in the UK. They will also consider whether proposed changes to the UK’s constitution should be subject to referendums.
Issues the Committee inquiry is looking at include:
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the referendum as a democratic tool?
- Are referendums compatible with the UK’s system of Parliamentary democracy?
- What lessons can be learnt from international experience of referendums?
- What are the arguments for and against the use of threshold requirements in referendums?