Question: in what circumstances are referendums held in the uk

title: Referendums in the United Kingdom
text: Major referendums have been rare in the UK , and have only been held on major constitutional issues . Before Tony Blair 's Labour government came to power in 1997 , only four such referendums had been held . Historically referendums within the United Kingdom were opposed on the supposition that they violate the principle of parliamentary sovereignty . In May 1945 the then Prime Minister Winston Churchill suggested holding a referendum over the question of extending the life of his wartime Coalition until victory was won over Japan , be allowed to continue in office . However , Clement Attlee refused citing ' I could not consent to the introduction into our national life of a device so alien to all our traditions as the referendum which has only too often been the instrument of Nazism and Fascism . ' implying that referendums were a totally unknown and alien device to British politics . In March 1975 Margaret Thatcher also quoted Clement Attlee that referendums are `` a device of dictators and demagogues '' as Napoleon , Mussolini and Hitler had exploited their use in the past . 

Answer: answer: Major referendums have been rare in the UK and have only been held on major constitutional issues.  Historically referendums within the United Kingdom were opposed on the supposition that they violate the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.