The use of electronic petitions for governments to ignore suggests that there are topics to which the people will respond. Perhaps this may be expanded to referenda on which the government have to agree to at least debate in Parliament, and perhaps, with sufficient numbers, bring into law or act upon. After all, the current government is acting on behalf of 48,208,507 registered voters because 9,708,716 people voted for them. Fractionally over 20%. A referendum that brought in in excess of 33% of the voters (a little over 16,000,000 votes) would be more representative than the general election vote.
A paper referendum would be overly expensive and open to as many opportunities for corruption as the current postal vote, but not so an electronic vote. Electronic banking is the norm these days and it would be possible to make such a vote secure. It might also keep governments reminded that they cannot make a load of election promises, break them all and get away with it, safe in the knowledge that they are untouchable for five years.
