Britain decides: a public roundtable on the 2011 referendum

Wednesday 27 April 2011, 6.15–7.45pm
Management Lecture Theatre, Royal Holloway, University of London

There has only ever been one national referendum in Britain. There is about to be another. On Thursday 5 May you will choose whether the country keeps its existing system for electing MPs or adopts a new voting system. This roundtable is your opportunity to find out more about the issues at stake. Three experts from Royal Holloway’s Department of Politics and International Relations will give short talks on:

• referendums in British democracy (Dr Nicholas Allen)

• the chief differences between the proposed ‘Alternative Vote’ and the current
‘First Past the Post’ voting systems (Dr Giacomo Benedetto)

• the likely consequences of changing the voting system (Dr Oliver Heath)

Patrycja Skurzak, the student president of Royal Holloway’s PIR Society, will offer a brief response. The floor will then be opened for questions.

All welcome

Please note: the event has no links to either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ referendum campaigns. Its purpose is to
engage the public from an academic standpoint and provide objective information about the choices
on offer.