Hamlet's question was "To be or not to be." It was a more complicated question for him than that facing the British public on June 23 when they must decide in a referendum whether to stay in a "reformed" European Union as Prime Minister David Cameron wants and recommends, or to leave and "take back sovereignty" as a few of his Cabinet colleagues wish.
The Conservatives (Tories) promised in their election manifesto to renegotiate British membership of the EU and hold a referendum on whether to stay in or leave the EU. The aim was to satisfy a vocal minority of party supporters and torpedo the newly established and populist U.K. Independence Party.
A referendum was not legally necessary. It is not a tradition in a parliamentary democracy and was not wanted by any of the other parties. The Tories won the election not because they promised a referendum, but because the opposition Labour Party was not trusted.