I would be very surprised if those who fulminate about 'Tony B Liar' would agree he is equal best ever PM with Thatcher because he also was thrice successful in GEs, though. One's disdain is often at odds with popular opinion. On sales alone, the UK's greatest ever rock/pop/vocal star...
She had at least one on hanging, though.
Referenda are for when parliament doesn't fancy it but the PM does, usually for personal reasons, and is convinced 'the people' will back her/him. This seemingly most 'democratic' of mechanisms is in fact only a step away from patriotism as the last...