The EU Bill is flawed, but it could open up other options for democratic reform

Referendums have become an increasingly important part of the process of constitutional change in the UK. In a constitution historically unreceptive to such devices, referendums have been used to gauge the public’s appetite for continuing membership of the EEC, devolution, changes to the structure of regional and local government, and now, electoral reform. Dr Mike Gordon argues that the European Union Bill might channel the demand for a greater say into a positive force for democratic reform.