the use of focus groups and referenda in the UK

Does British and foreign experience support the view that the greater use of focus groups and referenda today are signs of a healthy democracy? Alternatively do they undermine the role of parliament? Increasingly in Britain today the use of focus groups is becoming more and more common, not just by research institutions but by the government. A focus group is a small selection of people who represent the country, as there will be people present …

…it may have been accepted. Referenda are much the same as focus groups, if they are used in moderation then they can prove extremely useful, however overuse can lead to distortions of democracy. Of course referenda can only be used for the right reasons and to use them to avoid responsibility is to weaken the position of government. A healthy democracy should have focus groups and referenda but only if they are not over/misused.