why cant we vote on the death penalty?

Question

why do you think this goverment wont give us the human right to have a democratic vote on the death penalty in britain

Answer 1

And a multitude of other issues.

At the end of the day if a candidate stands in a general election on a "brihg back the death penelty" stance they will not get in. That tells the government that there is no ground swell of opinion to do this.

National referendum's cost money and have to be used wisely.

Answer 2

Following the United Kingdom's signature of the European Declaration of Human Rights, it is illegal under international law for the United Kingdom to have the death penalty. And there is no provision to derogate from (leave) this agreement. So there is no point of having a vote on the death penalty.

Hitler's Germany (or if you prefer Stalin's Russia) shows that there are some rights, such as the right to life, so basic that there is international agreement that they cannot be voted away by a single national vote. You may not like the death penalty being one of them. But, for instance, would you like a majority vote to decide that you should be made a slave because of whatever ethnic group you belong to? Or would you like a government to confiscate all your possesions as a result of some referendum? The sad thing is that there are countries like North Korea and the Congo where we are unable to stop such suffering. If only we could.

Answer 3

Because Britain is not alone in this matter. Being a member of the European Union, and since all members of the Union are against capital punishment, it would be difficult. Now, if this was ever to happen, what is to happen with the rest of the issues the government has to deal with every day? Taxes, international affairs, national security, state/province issues. Take jail sentences alone. Is the people to decide on individual cases also? Some death penalties in the U.S. are commuted to life in jail. Who would decide who to give capital punishment and who to give life ein jail? The good thing about living in a democracy is that the people have the power to decide, but be thankful for all the things you DON'T have to decide over.

Answer 4

The British public are stupid enough to keep voting in a Labour government - god help us if they are given the right to vote on life and death issues. Anyway how can capital punishment be right? If it is so wrong to kill, why is ok to kill as a punishment - 2 rights do not make a wrong and it is blatently obvious that the death penalty is not a deterrant - do Americans kill each other? Do they have the death penalty? Yes on both counts - so it doesn't work!!!!!

Answer 5

Because to do so would herald in "single-issue" voting in Britain, which would be a disaster. Why stop at the death penalty? Why not a referendum on hunting, on continued EU membership, on post office closures, on faith schools, on speed bumps and speed cameras? It'd be crazy, of course. You elect a government which, broadly speaking, has views which are closest to yours. Neither of the main parties supports the death penalty, so your option is either to find a small party that does (I believe the BNP is a big fan), or set one up of your own. Sounds crazy, but personally I find your question crazy so maybe you're just the guy.

Answer 6

You have a democratic vote ..you choose your MP ..your MP is the person who represents you in the Parliament

I suggest next time vote for NBP.known as National Front
better known Nazis..
But to be honest you will never ever get the support to bring back death penalty..British people know better
then act like a barbarians ...also it is not up to British people or British government to introduce death penalty..
that is the job for European Union ..thank God

Answer 7

Interesting comment about single-issue voting above. In America there are a number of states (mostly Western) that have single issue voting, called the citizen referrendum process. It's ridiculous--wastes everyone's time and money because special interests (generally not a surge of citizenry) spend millions on TV ads to get the public to blindly follow along when the legislatures haven't.
Be proud of the "republican form of government" you have in the U.K.--you elect MPs to make good decisions; you have a fairly wide choice of people from which to choose (compared to the U.S. where really only a democrat or republican can win), and if things are going badly, you can quickly replace the government.

Answer 8

We very rarely have a referendum in Britain. Our MP's vote on the death penalty on our behalf. It is always a free vote (ie nobody is approached by the party whips). At the last vote it was soundly defeated.

Answer 9

Because they are scared it would harm their incoming votes. With the murders occuring these days a lot of people would vote for the reintroduction of the death penalty as it would be the strongest deterrent for the murderous minded.
The Government nervous of losing their power would be afraid of politically correct bodies making their statements known.

Answer 10

Simple the media will whip up a yes vote among you sheep not because the death penalty is a deterrent of any kind but because a hanging makes a good HEADLINE fool.