Referenda

'Il est vrai que, comme dans beaucoup de référendums, la question n'était pas posée clairement.'
(It is true that, as in many referenda, the question was not clearly put)
Jean-Claude Crapoulet writing about the 1979 Devolution referendum in "Histoire de l'Écosse" Presses Universitaires de France.

Alex Salmond and Donald Dewar campaigning for a Yes Yes vote in 1997

Until the 1990s, Referenda were rare in the United Kingdom, although they had been considered at several times in the past. There have been a total of nine referenda but only one, on membership of the EEC in 1973, has been UK-wide; there have been two each on the constitutional future of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, one for London, and one for North east England.

Irish Union referendum 1973 (Northern Ireland)

A majority of Northern Irish (57% of the electorate) voted to remain in the United Kingdom.

EEC referendum 1975 (United Kingdom)

A majority of Scots (36% of the electorate) voted in favour of remaining in the EEC.
Scotland remained in the EEC (No 40 % rule was applied in this case).

Devolution referendum 1979 (Scotland)

A majority of Scots (33% of the electorate) voted in favour of a Scottish Assembly.
However, unlike 1975, a 40 % rule was imposed and the Scotland Act was repealed.

Devolution referendum 1979 (Wales)

A minority of Welsh (12% of the electorate) voted in favour of a Welsh Assembly.

Devolution referendum 1997 (Scotland)

Scotland voted in favour of a Scottish Parliament with tax raising powers by a large majority.

Welsh devolution referendum 1997 (Wales)

Wales voted for a Welsh Assembly - by a whisker

London referendum 1998 (England)

A majority of Londoners (24.5 % of the electorate) voted in favour of a London Assembly.
Unlike 1979, no 40 % rule was applied.

Irish referendum 1998 (Northern Ireland & Eire)

71 % of voters in Northern Ireland and 94 % of those in Eire supported the Good Friday peace agreement.

North East England referendum 2004 (England)

A majority of people in the North East of England (37.3 % of the electorate) voted against an elected regional assembly.

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