A democratic deficit occurs when government or government institutions fail to meet the principles of democracy in their practices or operations or when political representatives and institutions are discredited in the eyes of the public. There has been discussion in the UK in recent years that British democracy is flawed. Politicians are held in low regard. Parliament seems obsolete and the expenses scandal has highlighted how many politicians have lost out on holding public office. One of the main factors cited to support the existence of a democratic deficit in the UK is the low level of voter turnout and widespread disillusionment with the political system. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay In 2001 the United Kingdom recorded a general election turnout of 59.4%, the lowest since universal suffrage began in 1918. More voters voted against the Labor government than to those who elected them. In 2010 it rose to just under 65%. Indeed, low voter turnout calls into question the government's legitimacy and the strength of its electoral mandate. Ergo, if citizens have little influence in politics, democracy weakens because it is no longer truly a government "of the people, by the people and for the people". On the other hand, defenders of the status quo argue that there is no democratic deficit in the United Kingdom because the citizens of this country, unlike many others, have their human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the rule of law. Evidence of this can be found in the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010, as well as Britain's continued membership of the European Court of Human Rights. In addition to this, reforms are being implemented to develop our country to be more democratic and fair, this is evident in Labour's 1997 pledge to increase the use of referendums and even David Cameron's support for electronic petitions and in the increased devolution of power to Scotland and the regions, following the close outcome of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. With the exception of the Scottish independence referendum (84.5%), voter turnout for referendums have historically been poor, for example the 2011 AV referendum achieved a turnout of just 42.2%. Local referendums have often had a lower turnout, in Sunderland the referendum for a directly elected mayor (2001) had a turnout of 10%. Regarding e-petitions, Parliament's Select Committee still retains the sole power to abandon or debate an issue that may have generated the 100,000 signature threshold achieved online. It may be that electronic petitions cause greater disillusionment for the reasons stated above. Another defense of democracy in Britain is that the UK, unlike other nations, has a system of free and fair elections and that therefore there cannot be a deficit. British democracy has evolved over time. Women gained the vote on equal terms with men in 1928 and the plural vote was abolished in 1948. UK citizens can now start voting at the age of 18 and can vote by secret ballot, with elections held held every 5 years. These elections are organized by the Electoral Commission, not the government, and are renowned throughout the world for being free, fair and impartial. The transition that follows each election is peaceful, with the leader of the winning party taking office within a few days. Negotiations in 2010, following a suspended parliament, also.