150-859: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union Related: Women The Brexit withdrawal agreement , officially titled Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community , is a treaty between the European Union (EU), Euratom , and the United Kingdom (UK), signed on 24 January 2020, setting
300-503: A European Federation , a proposal which was not being considered at European level. Until 2018, the far-right National Rally advocated for France to leave the EU. However, shortly after the party's renaming (from Front National ), the party leader Marine Le Pen ruled out that policy, proposing instead to focus on changing the European Union's institutions. The Popular Republican Union and The Patriots party support France leaving
450-424: A Vote Leave supporter to say that the council was unable to check whether the nationality that people stated on their voting registration form was true, and hence that they simply had to assume that the information that was submitted was, indeed, correct. 3,462 EU nationals were wrongly sent postal voting cards, due to an IT issue experienced by Xpress, an electoral software supplier to a number of councils. Xpress
600-533: A free vote for ministers. In an exception to the usual rule of cabinet collective responsibility , Cameron allowed cabinet ministers to campaign publicly for EU withdrawal. A Government-backed campaign was launched in April. On 16 June, all official national campaigning was suspended until 19 June following the murder of Jo Cox . After internal polls suggested that 85% of the UK population wanted more information about
750-629: A referendum on the issue in 2016 ; the electorate decided by a 3.8% majority to favour leaving the European Union. On 29 March 2017, arising from a decision by the Parliament of the United Kingdom , Prime Minister Theresa May invoked Article 50 in a letter to the president of the European Council , Donald Tusk . The UK ceased to be an EU member state as from 00:00, 1 February 2020 Central European Time ( UTC+1 ) (23:00, 31 January 2020 Western European Time ( GMT , UTC+0 ). Following
900-501: A 51.9% to 48.1% majority vote for leaving the European Union . The proposed 2018 withdrawal agreement, which ran to 599 pages, covered the following main areas: The agreement also set up a transitional period, which lasted until 31 December 2020 with a provision for extension by mutual consent. During the transitional period, EU law continued to apply to the UK (including participation in the European Economic Area ,
1050-577: A bilateral treaty was agreed to between Algeria and the EEC which formalized the EEC's relationship with Algeria as a neighbouring state in association with the Community, and not a part of the Community. Greenland chose to leave the EU predecessor without separating from Denmark. It initially voted against joining the EEC when Denmark joined in 1973, but because Denmark as a whole voted to join, Greenland, as
1200-588: A command paper and agreed by both Houses. Following the 2016 referendum, the High Court confirmed that the result was not legally binding, owing to the constitutional principles of parliamentary sovereignty and representative democracy, and the legislation authorising the referendum did not contain clear words to the contrary. Research by the Electoral Commission confirmed that its recommended question "was clear and straightforward for voters, and
1350-521: A county of Denmark , joined too. When home rule for Greenland began in 1979, it held a new referendum and voted to leave the EEC. After wrangling over fishing rights, the territory left the EEC in 1985, but remains subject to the EU treaties through association of Overseas Countries and Territories with the EU. This was permitted by the Greenland Treaty , a special treaty signed in 1984 to allow its withdrawal. Saint Pierre and Miquelon ,
1500-472: A desire to "obtain a European status which would be better suited to its status under domestic law, particularly given its remoteness from the mainland , its small insular economy largely devoted to tourism and subject to difficulties in obtaining supplies which hamper the application of some European Union standards ." France, reflecting this desire, requested at the European Council to change
1650-747: A further transfer of powers from the UK to the EU were to be proposed. In their manifesto for the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats pledged to hold an in-out referendum only in the event of there being a change in the EU treaties. The UK Independence Party (UKIP), the British National Party (BNP), the Green Party , the Democratic Unionist Party and the Respect Party all supported
SECTION 10
#17327568824461800-483: A main goal to withdraw Italy from the European Union. In the Netherlands, the main party advocating for a withdrawal is Forum for Democracy , additionally Party for Freedom also supports a withdrawal from the European Union. In Poland, the far-right party Confederation Liberty and Independence is against the membership of the country in the European Union. Following the 2023 Polish parliamentary election ,
1950-770: A number of specialised committees reporting to the Joint Committee. The withdrawal agreement also includes provisions for the UK to leave the Convention Defining the Statute of the European Schools , with the UK bound by the Convention and the accompanying regulations on Accredited European Schools until the end of the last academic year of the transition period, i.e. the end of the spring semester of 2020–2021. The more important elements of
2100-539: A referendum to be held on the question of the UK's continued membership of the European Union (EU) before the end of 2017. It did not contain any requirement for the UK Government to implement the results of the referendum. Instead, it was designed to gauge the electorate's opinion on EU membership. The referendums held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1997 and 1998 are examples of this type, where opinion
2250-540: A sample of the actual ballot paper, and a whole page each was given to the campaign groups Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave to present their case. The Vote Leave campaign argued that if the UK left the EU, national sovereignty would be protected, immigration controls could be imposed, and the UK would be able to sign trade deals with the rest of the world. The UK would also be able to stop membership payments to
2400-519: A second referendum should the result be a remain win closer than 52–48%, because the leaflet meant that the remain side had been permitted to spend more money than the leave side. In the week beginning on 16 May, the Electoral Commission sent a voting guide regarding the referendum to every household within the UK and Gibraltar to raise awareness of the upcoming referendum. The eight-page guide contained details on how to vote, as well as
2550-526: A sliding scale for four years and would be for new immigrants only; before they could be applied, a country would have to get permission from the European Council . Child benefit payments could still be made overseas, but these would be linked to the cost of living in the other country. On sovereignty, the UK was reassured that it would not be required to participate in "ever closer union"; these reassurances were "in line with existing EU law". Cameron's demand to allow national parliaments to veto proposed EU laws
2700-525: A so-called "emergency brake", which would have allowed the UK to withhold social benefits to new immigrants for the first four years after they arrived; this brake could have been applied for a period of seven years. That offer was still on the table at the time of the Brexit referendum, but expired when the vote determined that the UK would leave the EU. Cameron claimed that "he could have avoided Brexit had European leaders let him control migration", according to
2850-457: A territory of France, used to be part of the EU but left on 11 June 1985. Saint Martin and Saint-Barthélemy in 2007 separated from Guadeloupe ( overseas department of France and outermost region (OMR) of the EU) and became overseas collectivities of France, but at the same time remained OMRs of the European Union. Later, the elected representatives of the island of Saint-Barthélemy expressed
3000-514: A transition or implementation period until 00:00 Central European Time on 1 January 2021 (11p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on 31 December 2020 in the UK) (referred to as "IP completion day" in British law and state terminology), during which time the UK remained in the single market, in order to ensure frictionless trade until a long-term relationship was agreed. If no agreement was reached by this date, then
3150-465: A vote of 432 to 202. The Commons rejected the agreement again on 12 March 2019, on a vote of 391 to 242, and rejected a third time of 29 March 2019 by 344 votes to 286. On 22 October 2019 the revised withdrawal agreement negotiated by Boris Johnson's government cleared the first stage in Parliament, but Johnson paused the legislative process when the accelerated programme for approval failed to achieve
SECTION 20
#17327568824463300-591: Is defined by the legislation as limited to residents of the United Kingdom who were either also Commonwealth citizens under Section 37 of the British Nationality Act 1981 (which include British citizens and other British nationals ), or those who were also citizens of the Republic of Ireland , or both. Members of the House of Lords , who could not vote in general elections, were able to vote in
3450-616: Is not yet a deed and intentions can change before the deed is done. Until the Scottish Government did so in late 2018, the issue had been untested in court. On 10 December 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled that it would be “inconsistent with the EU treaties’ purpose of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe to force the withdrawal of a member state” against its wishes, and that consequently an Article 50 notification may be revoked unilaterally by
3600-591: Is to be approved on the EU side by the Council of the EU, acting by qualified majority , after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament . For the agreement to pass the Council of the EU it needs to be approved by at least 72 percent of the continuing member states representing at least 65 percent of their population. The agreement is concluded on behalf of the Union by the council and must set out
3750-613: The Financial Times . However, Angela Merkel said that the offer had not been made by the EU. Merkel stated in the German Parliament: "If you wish to have free access to the single market then you have to accept the fundamental European rights as well as obligations that come from it. This is as true for Great Britain as for anybody else." The planned referendum was included in the Queen's Speech on 27 May 2015. It
3900-536: The EU referendum or the Brexit referendum , was a referendum that took place on 23 June 2016 in the United Kingdom (UK) and Gibraltar under the provisions of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 to ask the electorate whether the country should continue to remain a member of, or leave, the European Union (EU). The result was a vote in favour of leaving the EU, triggering calls to begin
4050-601: The European Parliament election in 2014 , the UK Independence Party (UKIP) secured more votes and more seats than any other party, the first time a party other than the Conservatives or Labour had topped a nationwide poll in 108 years, leaving the Conservatives in third place. Under Ed Miliband 's leadership between 2010 and 2015, the Labour Party ruled out an in-out referendum unless and until
4200-470: The European Union Referendum Act 2015 . Prime Minister David Cameron also oversaw a renegotiation of the terms of EU membership , intending to implement these changes in the event of a Remain result. The referendum was legally non-binding due to the ancient principle of parliamentary sovereignty , although the government promised to implement the result. Official campaigning took place between 15 April and 23 June 2016. The official group for remaining in
4350-685: The Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party. On 20 June 2012, a three-clause private member's bill was introduced into the House of Commons by the then Eurosceptic MP Douglas Carswell to end the United Kingdom’s EU membership and repeal the European Communities Act 1972, but without containing any commitment to the holding of any referendum. It received a second reading in a half-hour long debate in
4500-490: The Fixed-term Parliament Act . Cameron refused this request, saying people were able to make up their own minds in multiple elections spaced at least six weeks from each other. On 20 February 2016, Cameron announced that the UK Government would formally recommend to the British people that the UK should remain a member of a reformed European Union and that the referendum would be held on 23 June, marking
4650-586: The Green Party ; while the UK Independence Party campaigned in favour of leaving; and the Conservative Party remained neutral. In spite of the Conservative and Labour Party's official positions, both parties allowed their Members of Parliament to publicly campaign for either side of the issue. Campaign issues included the costs and benefits of membership for the UK's economy, freedom of movement and migration. Several allegations of unlawful campaigning and Russian interference arose during and after
Brexit withdrawal agreement - Misplaced Pages Continue
4800-601: The House of Lords in December 2013, where members voted to block the bill. Conservative MP Bob Neill then introduced an Alternative Referendum Bill to the Commons. After a debate on 17 October 2014, it passed to the Public Bills Committee , but because the Commons failed to pass a money resolution , the bill was unable to progress further before the dissolution of parliament on 27 March 2015. At
4950-574: The Scottish National Party voting against. In contrast to the Labour Party's position prior to the 2015 general election under Miliband, acting Labour leader Harriet Harman committed her party to supporting plans for an EU referendum by 2017, a position maintained by elected leader Jeremy Corbyn . To enable the referendum to take place, the European Union Referendum Act was passed by the Parliament of
5100-605: The Social Liberal Party (15%) and The Alternative (20%). Occasionally, polls about a choice between the EU and a Nordic cooperation have shown equally divided support; a 2020 poll showed 39% support for each alternative. In a 2019 poll, the same question showed 42.7% support for the Nordic option and 40.5% for the EU option. In Finland, the Finns Party says the country should leave the EU should it become
5250-508: The Treaty of Lisbon which entered into force in 2009. Prior to this, no provision in the treaties or law of the EU outlined the ability of a state to voluntarily withdraw from the EU. The absence of such a provision made withdrawal technically difficult but not impossible. Legally there were two interpretations of whether a state could leave. The first, that sovereign states have a right to withdraw from their international commitments; and
5400-528: The UK Parliament's decisions not to ratify the Brexit withdrawal agreement negotiated between the European Council and the UK government, several extensions of the deadline were agreed. Following a decisive election victory for Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party in December 2019, the UK Parliament ratified the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 , approving
5550-605: The UK gave formal notice of intent to withdraw from the EU, with the withdrawal being formalised in 2020. The European Communities were formed in the 1950s – the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) and European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. The EEC, the more ambitious of the three, came to be known as
5700-937: The Welsh Parliament , or the Gibraltar Parliament at the time of the referendum. Among minor parties, the Socialist Labour Party , the Communist Party of Britain , Britain First , the British National Party (BNP), Éirígí [Ireland], the Respect Party , the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), the Social Democratic Party , the Liberal Party , Independence from Europe , and
5850-566: The common market and opt-in/opt-out solutions was reflected in the slogan Mere Danmark, mindre EU ("More Denmark, less EU"). In 2020, the party proclaimed a strengthening of its anti-EU stance. The left-wing Red Green Alliance which is the 3rd largest party in the country, still officially opposes EU membership, but its members are divided on the issue. In the European Parliament, the Danish People's Movement against
6000-497: The level playing field mechanism has been moved from the legally-binding withdrawal agreement to the political declaration, and the line in the political declaration that “the United Kingdom will consider aligning with union rules in relevant areas” has been removed. Article 164 establishes a joint committee for the implementation of the agreement, which is co-chaired by the EU and the UK and has 6 specialised committees. The Withdrawal Agreement delegated some arrangements relating to
6150-459: The single market , and the customs union ), and the UK continued to pay into the EU budget, but the UK was not represented in the decision-making bodies of the EU. The transition period gave businesses time to adjust to the new situation and time for the British and EU governments to negotiate a new trade deal between the EU and UK. On the Irish border question , the Irish backstop was appended to
Brexit withdrawal agreement - Misplaced Pages Continue
6300-604: The withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU), colloquially known as Brexit, and the planned end of the transitional period. According to evidence presented by lobby group "British in Europe" (representing British citizens resident in EU countries) to the Brexit Select Committee of the House of Commons in June 2020, "as many as 23 EU member states [had] yet to implement systems to document
6450-465: The withdrawal agreement was ratified by the Parliament of the United Kingdom , and on 29 January 2020 by the European Parliament. The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 at 23:00 GMT, ending 47 years of membership. Four territories of EU member states have withdrawn: French Algeria (in 1962, upon independence ), Greenland (in 1985, following a referendum ), Saint Pierre and Miquelon (also in 1985, unilaterally) and Saint Barthélemy (in 2012),
6600-545: The "Common Market". The UK first applied to join them in 1961, but this was vetoed by France. A later application was successful, and the UK joined in 1973; two years later, a national referendum on continuing EC membership resulted in 67.2% voting “Yes” in favour of continued membership, on a 64.6% national turnout. However, no further referendums on the issue of the United Kingdom’s relationship with Europe were held and successive British governments integrated further into
6750-615: The 'Northern Ireland subcommittee' (dealing with the Northern Ireland Protocol ) attracted most news-media attention in Spring 2021, because of the controversy over what became known as the Irish Sea border . As of 21 February 2022, the Joint Committee has met nine times. The Specialised Committee on Citizens' Rights was established to monitor the implementation and application of citizens' rights under
6900-454: The Brexit withdrawal agreement, widely expected to be held on 19 March 2019, was refused by the Speaker of the House of Commons on 18 March 2019 on the basis of a parliamentary convention dating from 2 April 1604 that prevents British governments from forcing the Commons to repeatedly vote on an issue that the Commons has already voted upon. A cut-down version of the withdrawal agreement, where
7050-579: The British Government "does not know for sure" whether Article 50 is revocable; the British prime minister [then Theresa May ] "does not intend" to reverse it. Extension of the two years time from notification to exit from the union, still requires unanimous support from all member countries, that is clearly stated in Article 50(3). Should a former member state seek to rejoin the European Union after having actually left, it would be subject to
7200-466: The British side. On the part of the European Union, the European Parliament gave its consent to the ratification of the Agreement also on 29 January 2020, and the Council of the European Union approved the conclusion of the Agreement on 30 January 2020 by written procedure. Accordingly, also on 30 January 2020, the European Union deposited its instrument of ratification of the Agreement, thus concluding
7350-612: The EU was represented from the first direct elections in 1979 until 2019. The Unity List is a collective member of The People's Movement and used to only participate in European Elections as candidates for The People's Movement. At the 2019 EP Election the Unity List participated independently and gained a seat, in an electoral alliance with The People's Movement who lost their seat. Former MEP for The People's Movement Rina Ronja Kari resigned her personal membership of
7500-480: The EU (including concerning the euro ) when so much European law is codified in member states' laws. However, the process of Article 50 also includes a strong implication of unilateral right to withdraw. This is through the fact the state would decide "in accordance with its own constitutional requirements" and that the end of the treaties' application in said state is not dependent on any agreement being reached (it would occur after two years regardless). In other words,
7650-491: The EU and in the UK's relationship with it. These were: additional immigration controls, especially for citizens of new EU member states; tougher immigration rules for present EU citizens; new powers for national parliaments collectively to veto proposed EU laws; new free-trade agreements and a reduction in bureaucracy for businesses; a lessening of the influence of the European Court of Human Rights on British police and courts; more power for individual member states, and less for
SECTION 50
#17327568824467800-657: The EU and the UK on the island of Ireland (generally known as the 'Irish backstop'). The second covers the arrangements for a common customs territory to operate between the EU and the UK, until a technical solution can be found that delivers both an open border and independent customs policies. The third covers operations of the joint customs territory. The fourth covers 'good governance in the area of taxation, environmental protection, labour and social standards, state aid , competition, and state-owned undertakings'. The fifth to eighth cover relevant provisions in EU law. The ninth and tenth details procedures arising from main sections of
7950-406: The EU every week. The Britain Stronger in Europe campaign argued that leaving the European Union would damage the UK economy, and that the status of the UK as a world influence was hinged upon its membership. The tables list political parties with representation in the House of Commons or the House of Lords , the European Parliament , the Scottish Parliament , the Northern Ireland Assembly ,
8100-404: The EU institution competent to this purpose, namely the CJEU . In addition the European Commission considers that Article 50 does not provide for the unilateral withdrawal of the notification. Lord Kerr, the British author of Article 50, also considers the process is reversible as does Jens Dammann. Professor Stephen Weatherill disagrees. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis has stated that
8250-502: The EU that sought to become the official Leave campaign: Leave.EU (which was endorsed by most of UKIP , including Nigel Farage ), and Vote Leave (endorsed by Conservative Party Eurosceptics). In January 2016, Nigel Farage and the Leave.EU campaign became part of the Grassroots Out movement, which was borne out of infighting between Vote Leave and Leave.EU campaigners. In April, the Electoral Commission announced that Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave were to be designated as
8400-420: The EU was Britain Stronger in Europe while Vote Leave was the official group endorsing leaving. Other campaign groups, political parties, businesses, trade unions, newspapers and prominent individuals were also involved, with both sides having supporters from across the political spectrum. Parties in favour of remaining included Labour , the Liberal Democrats , the Scottish National Party , Plaid Cymru and
8550-457: The EU, shows that the UK was a clear outlier and no other state is likely to leave the EU in the foreseeable future. In Bulgaria, the far-right Revival party, and third largest party in the National Assembly as of 2023, supports either "renegotiation" for special status within the EU, or withdrawal. Additionally, other smaller non-parliamentary parties, mostly from the coalition Neutral Bulgaria support withdrawal, such as Attack who called
8700-429: The EU. As of 2024, no country other than the United Kingdom has voted on whether to withdraw from the EU. Political parties criticizing the federative trend of the European Union and advocating withdrawal have gained prominence in several member states since the European Parliament election in 2014 , similarly to the rise of UKIP in the United Kingdom. The EU Exit Index, which measures the risk of member states leaving
8850-422: The EU. In Greece, Greek Solution is campaigning for a withdrawal, as was Golden Dawn . As a result of the approval of an anti-LGBT law , it has been suggested that Hungary should leave the EU. Currently, Our Homeland Movement is the only party that has proposed doing so through a referendum. In July 2020, Italian journalist and senator Gianluigi Paragone formed Italexit , a new political party with
9000-451: The EU. The Conservative Party published a draft EU Referendum Bill in May 2013, and outlined its plans for renegotiation followed by an in-out vote (i.e. a referendum giving options only of leaving and of remaining in under the current terms, or under new terms if these had become available), were the party to be re-elected in 2015. The draft Bill stated that the referendum had to be held no later than 31 December 2017. The draft legislation
9150-420: The European Communities (EC) to try and settle the issue was held in 1975, resulting in the UK remaining a member. Between 1975 and 2016 as European integration deepened, subsequent EC/EU treaties and agreements were ratified by the UK Parliament . Following the Conservative Party 's victory at the 2015 general election as a main manifesto pledge, the legal basis for the EU referendum was established through
SECTION 60
#17327568824469300-419: The European Council. The leaving agreement is negotiated on behalf of the EU by the European Commission on the basis of a mandate given by the remaining Member States, meeting in the Council of the European Union . It must set out the arrangements for withdrawal, taking account of the framework for the member state's future relationship with the EU, though without itself settling that framework. The agreement
9450-415: The European Union . Following an unprecedented vote on 4 December 2018, MPs ruled that the British government was in contempt of parliament for refusing to provide to Parliament the full legal advice it had been given on the effect of its proposed terms for withdrawal. The key point within the advice covered the legal effect of the "backstop" agreement governing Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and
9600-535: The European Union can not block a member state from leaving. If negotiations do not result in a ratified agreement, the withdrawing country leaves without an agreement, and the EU Treaties shall cease to apply to the withdrawing country, without any substitute or transitional arrangements being put in place. As regards trade, the parties would likely follow World Trade Organization rules on tariffs . Article 50 does not spell out whether member states can rescind their notification of their intention to withdraw during
9750-471: The European Union or leave the European Union? with the responses to the question (to be marked with a single (X)): Remain a member of the European Union Leave the European Union and in Welsh : A ddylai'r Deyrnas Unedig aros yn aelod o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd neu adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd? with the responses (to be marked with a single (X)): Aros yn aelod o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd Gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd Prior to being officially announced, it
9900-439: The European Union) states, "a revocation of notification needs to be subject to conditions set by all EU-27, so that it cannot be used as a procedural device or abused in an attempt to improve on the current terms of the United Kingdom’s membership." The European Union Policy Department for Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs has stated that a hypothetical right of revocation can only be examined and confirmed or infirmed by
10050-412: The European project, which gained focus when the Maastricht Treaty established the European Union (EU) in 1993, which incorporated (and after the Lisbon Treaty , succeeded) the European Communities. At the May 2012 NATO summit meeting , UK Prime Minister David Cameron , Foreign Secretary William Hague and Ed Llewellyn discussed the idea of using a European Union referendum as a concession to
10200-432: The Leave campaign, including the Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth , criticised the government's decision to extend the deadline, alleging it gave Remain an advantage because many late registrants were young people who were considered to be more likely to vote for Remain. According to provisional figures from the Electoral Commission, almost 46.5 million people were eligible to vote. Nottingham City Council emailed
10350-438: The New Right wanted withdrawal and other 50 % were eurosceptic ("remain in the EU, but the EU should have less influence on Danish conditions"). Among voters of the Danish People's party, the numbers were 18% and 57%, and of the Unity List, 11% and 42%, respectively. In all other parties, withdrawal was supported by 5% of voters or less, but there was substantial euroscepticism (between 26 and 32%), although less among voters of
10500-427: The Republic of Ireland, of Malta , or of the Republic of Cyprus . The Representation of the People Acts 1983 (1983 c. 2) and 1985 (1985 c. 50) , as amended, also permit certain British citizens (but not other British nationals), who had once lived in the United Kingdom, but had since and in the meantime lived outside of the United Kingdom, but for a period of no more than 15 years, to vote. Voting on
10650-437: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis told the British Parliament that the government's planned Internal Market Bill will "break international law". Withdrawal from the European Union Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) provides for the possibility of an EU member state leaving the European Union "in accordance with its own constitutional requirements". Currently,
10800-516: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This provision does not cover certain overseas territories which under TFEU Article 355 do not require a full treaty revision. Thus, once a member state has notified the European Council of its intention to leave, a period begins during which a withdrawal agreement is negotiated, setting out the arrangements for the withdrawal and outlining
10950-476: The UK Government in the 2015–20 Parliament (which indirectly, as a result of the referendum itself, proved to last only two years) to holding such a referendum, a parliamentary research paper noted that: The Bill simply provides for a referendum on continued EU membership by the end of December 2017 and does not otherwise specify the timing, other than requiring the Secretary of State to bring forward orders by
11100-525: The UK would have left the single market without a trade deal on 1 January 2021. Closely connected to the withdrawal agreement is a non-binding political declaration on the future EU–UK relationship. In the Conservative Party 's manifesto for the United Kingdom general election in May 2015 , the party promised an EU referendum by the end of 2017. The referendum , held on 23 June 2016, resulted in
11250-413: The UK's separation from the EU to the Joint Committee to decide upon. A Joint Committee is a commonly used process within deeper trade treaties to manage tensions. There is equal representation from both sides with no casting vote and the ability to go to an international arbitration panel if there is no agreement. There are a number of specialist subcommittees that report to the main committee, of which
11400-411: The Union citizen or United Kingdom national after the end of the transition period to have an entry visa", the host State is required to grant necessary visas through an accelerated process in appropriate facilities free of charge (Art. 14). The Agreement further deals with the issuance of permanent residence permits during and after the transition period, as well as its restrictions. Moreover, it clarifies
11550-471: The Union took effect on 11 p.m. GMT on 31 January 2020, and at that moment the Withdrawal Agreement entered into force, as per its article 185. The Agreement covers such matters as money, citizens' rights, border arrangements and dispute resolution. It also contains a transition period and an outline of the future relationship between the UK and the EU . Published on 14 November 2018, it
11700-421: The United Kingdom for the purpose of European Union (and European Economic Area (EEA)) membership (as is the case with Gibraltar), would also have been significantly affected by the outcome and impact of the referendum. In October 2015, Britain Stronger in Europe , a cross-party group campaigning for Britain to remain a member of the EU, was formed. There were two rival groups promoting British withdrawal from
11850-453: The United Kingdom is the only state to have withdrawn from membership of the European Union. The process to do so began when the UK Government triggered Article 50 to begin the UK's withdrawal from the EU on 29 March 2017 following a June 2016 referendum , and the withdrawal was scheduled in law to occur on 29 March 2019. Subsequently, the UK sought, and was granted, a number of Article 50 extensions until 31 January 2020. On 23 January 2020,
12000-623: The United Kingdom. It extended to include and take legislative effect in Gibraltar , and received royal assent on 17 December 2015. The Act was, in turn, confirmed, enacted and implemented in Gibraltar by the European Union (Referendum) Act 2016 (Gibraltar) , which was passed by the Gibraltar Parliament and entered into law upon receiving the assent of the Governor of Gibraltar on 28 January 2016. The European Union Referendum Act required
12150-505: The Unity List. Opinion polls have mostly shown that Danes are pro EU membership, but eurosceptic . A 2018 opinion poll suggested that while a minority of Danes wanted withdrawal (12% "to a high degree" and 16% "to some degree"), a large majority were against abolishing the opt-outs (57 % against and 22 % for the euro; 42 % against and 30 % for defense cooperation; 47 % against and 22 % for judicial cooperation). A 2019 opinion poll showed that 37 % of voters of
12300-414: The absence of a mutual agreement, all products should be considered at risk). The government defended the move, saying the legislation was compliant with the protocol and merely "clarified" ambiguity in the protocol. Ursula von der Leyen warned Johnson not to break international law, saying that the UK's implementation of the withdrawal agreement was a "prerequisite for any future partnership". On 8 September,
12450-490: The agreement setting a fall-back position if effective alternative arrangements failed to be agreed to avoid a hard border before the end of the transition period, with the UK shadowing the EU's Common external tariff and Northern Ireland keeping in aspects of the Single Market. The governance will be through a Joint Committee with representatives of both the European Union and the British government. There will be
12600-431: The agreement. As of 15 June 2022, it has met ten times. The reception of the agreement in the House of Commons ranged from cool to hostile and the vote was delayed more than a month. On 15 November 2018, the day after the agreement was presented and received backing from the cabinet of the British government, several members of the government resigned, including Dominic Raab , Secretary of State for Exiting
12750-488: The arrangements for withdrawal, including a framework for the State's future relationship with the Union, negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union . The agreement is to be approved by the council, acting by qualified majority , after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament . Should a former member state seek to rejoin the European Union, it would be subject to
12900-430: The attached political declaration had been removed, passed the speaker's test for 'substantial change', so a third vote was held on 29 March 2019, but was voted down by 58 votes. On 22 October 2019, the House of Commons agreed by 329 votes to 299 to give a Second Reading to the revised withdrawal agreement (negotiated by Boris Johnson earlier that month), but when the accelerated timetable which he proposed failed to gain
13050-508: The basis of Union law" (Art. 8). The Agreement defines and provides the personal scope of citizens, family members, frontier workers, host states, and nationals. Article 11 deals with continuity of residence and Article 12 discusses non-discrimination (i.e., it would be prohibited to discriminate on grounds of nationality). British nationals and European Union citizens, family members who are British nationals or European Union citizens and family members who are neither of those two shall maintain
13200-479: The central EU; and abandonment of the EU notion of "ever closer union". He intended to bring these about during a series of negotiations with other EU leaders and then, if re-elected, to announce a referendum. In November that year, Cameron gave an update on the negotiations and further details of his aims. The key demands made of the EU were: on economic governance, to recognise officially that Eurozone laws would not necessarily apply to non-Eurozone EU members and
13350-528: The chamber on 26 October 2012, but did not progress any further. In January 2013, Cameron delivered the Bloomberg speech and promised that, should the Conservatives win a parliamentary majority at the 2015 general election , the British government would negotiate more favourable arrangements for continuing British membership of the EU, before holding a referendum on whether the UK should remain in or leave
13500-430: The country's future relationship with the Union. Commencing the process is up to the member state that intends to leave. The article allows for a negotiated withdrawal, due to the complexities of leaving the EU. However, it does include in it a strong implication of a unilateral right to withdraw. This is through the fact that a state would decide to withdraw "in accordance with its own constitutional requirements" and that
13650-633: The creation of Article 50. Article 50, which allows a member state to withdraw, was originally drafted by British cross-bench peer and former diplomat Lord Kerr of Kinlochard , the secretary-general of the European Convention , which drafted the Constitutional Treaty for the European Union . Following the failure of the ratification process for the European Constitution, the clause was incorporated into
13800-615: The day of the referendum was from 0700 to 2200 BST ( WEST ) (0700 to 2200 CEST in Gibraltar) in some 41,000 polling stations staffed by over 100,000 poll workers . Each polling station was specified to have no more than 2,500 registered voters. Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 2000 , postal ballots were also permitted in the referendum and were sent out to eligible voters some three weeks ahead of
13950-486: The deal, and allowing it to enter into force at the moment of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union at 11 p.m. GMT on 31 January 2020. The Declaration on Future European Union–United Kingdom Relations , also referred to as the Political Declaration, is a non-binding declaration that was negotiated and signed along with the binding and more comprehensive Withdrawal Agreement in connection with
14100-454: The draft agreement are these: The Agreement assists the arrangements of withdrawing the UK from the European Union and Euratom (Art. 1), provides a clear definition for the territorial scope of the United Kingdom (Art. 3), and assures the legal liability of the Agreement (Art. 4). Additionally, it states that by the end of the transition period, the UK shall be denied access to "any network, any information system and any database established on
14250-516: The draft. The Northern Ireland Protocol, known familiarly as the "Irish backstop", was an annex to the November 2018 draft agreement that described the provisions to prevent a hard border in Ireland after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. The Protocol included a safety-net provision to handle the circumstances where satisfactory alternative arrangements remain to come into operation at
14400-407: The end of 2016. [...] If no party obtained a majority at the [next general election due in 2015], there might be some uncertainty about the passage of the orders in the next Parliament. The bill received its Second Reading on 5 July 2013, passing by 304 votes to none after almost all Labour MPs and all Liberal Democrat MPs abstained, cleared the Commons in November 2013, and was then introduced to
14550-474: The end of the transition period. This created considerable difficulties for the government, particularly with the Democratic Unionist Party on which the government depended on for votes. This draft was replaced in the 2019 negotiations by a new Northern Ireland Protocol . The agreement was subject to revisions under the Johnson ministry 's renegotiation in 2019 . The amendments adjust approximately 5% of
14700-479: The end of the treaties' application in a member state that intends to withdraw is not dependent on any agreement being reached (it would occur after two years regardless). The treaties cease to apply to the member state concerned on the entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, in the absence of such an agreement, two years after the member state notified the European Council of its intention to leave, although this period can be extended by unanimous agreement of
14850-508: The ending of temporary storage or customs procedures (Art. 49). The VAT applies to goods that are exchanged between the Union and the UK. By way of derogation from previous Articles, the Title permits access to information systems that are necessary for the application or processing of the VAT (Art. 51). There are ten annexes to the draft. The first is a protocol to maintain an open border between
15000-493: The future rights of the estimated 1.2 million British citizens already living on the continent, who are in the dark over their future rights and obligations". "The UK launched its [registration] system for EU citizens last March [2020], with more than 3.3 million people granted pre-settled or settled status to remain in the country after Brexit", the Committee was told. Also, Brexit removed British resident living in EU countries
15150-417: The latter three becoming Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union. The states who were set to accede to the EU in 2004 pushed for an exit right during the 2002–2003 European Convention. The acceding states wanted the option to exit the EU in the event that EU membership would adversely affect them. During negotiations, eurosceptics in states such as the UK and Denmark subsequently pushed for
15300-588: The latter would not have to bail out troubled Eurozone economies; on competitiveness, to expand the single market and to set a target for the reduction of bureaucracy for businesses; on sovereignty, for the UK to be legally exempted from "ever closer union" and for national parliaments to be able collectively to veto proposed EU laws; and, on immigration, for EU citizens going to the UK for work to be unable to claim social housing or in-work benefits until they had worked there for four years, and for them to be unable to send child benefit payments overseas. The outcome of
15450-537: The legal effect of the UK agreeing to the Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement on Ireland and Northern Ireland in particular its effect in conjunction with Articles 5 and 184 of the main Withdrawal Agreement?" The advice given was that: Immediately following announcement of a revised withdrawal agreement on 17 October 2019, Labour , the Liberal Democrats , and DUP said that they could not support
15600-546: The necessary parliamentary support, Johnson announced that the legislation would be paused. On 20 December 2019, following the Conservative victory in the 2019 United Kingdom general election , the House of Commons passed the second reading of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill by a margin of 358–234. After amendments proposed by the House of Lords and ping-pong between the two houses, the bill received royal assent on 23 January 2020, enabling ratification on
15750-597: The necessary support, and announced his intention to call a general election. On 23 January 2020, Parliament ratified the agreement by passing the Withdrawal Agreement Act ; on 29 January 2020, the European Parliament gave its consent to the withdrawal agreement. It was subsequently concluded by the Council of the European Union on 30 January 2020. The withdrawal agreement, in Part Four, provided for
15900-407: The negotiation period while their country is still a member of the European Union. However, the president of the European Council said to the European Parliament on 24 October 2017 that “deal, no deal or no Brexit” is up to Britain. Indeed, the prevailing legal opinion among EU law experts and the EU institutions themselves is that a member state intending to leave may change its mind, as an “intention”
16050-425: The new deal. On 15 January 2019, the House of Commons voted down the Brexit withdrawal agreement by 230 votes, the largest vote against the United Kingdom government in history. The May government survived a confidence vote the following day . On 12 March 2019, the Commons voted down the agreement a second time by 149 votes, the fourth-largest defeat of the government in the history of the Commons. A third vote on
16200-417: The new prime minister on 24 July 2019. The Parliament of the United Kingdom gave its approval to the agreement on 23 January 2020 and the UK government deposited Britain's instrument of ratification on 29 January 2020. The agreement was ratified by the Council of the European Union on 30 January 2020, following the consent of the European Parliament on 29 January 2020. The United Kingdom's withdrawal from
16350-492: The new system of voting without further legislation, provided that the boundary changes also provided for in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 were also implemented. In the event, there was a substantial majority against any change. The 1975 referendum was held after the re-negotiated terms of the UK's EC membership had been agreed by all EC Member States, and the terms set out in
16500-402: The notifying member without the permission of the other EU members, provided the state has not already left the EU, and provided the revocation is decided “following a democratic process in accordance with national constitutional requirements”. The European Parliament resolution of 5 April 2017 (on negotiations with the United Kingdom following its notification that it intends to withdraw from
16650-407: The official launch of the campaign. He also announced that Parliament would enact secondary legislation on 22 February relating to the European Union Referendum Act 2015. With the official launch, ministers of the UK Government were then free to campaign on either side of the argument in a rare exception to Cabinet collective responsibility . The right to vote in the referendum in the United Kingdom
16800-510: The official remain and leave campaigns respectively. This gave them the right to spend up to £7,000,000, a free mailshot, TV broadcasts and £600,000 in public funds. The UK Government's official position was to support the Remain campaign. Nevertheless, Cameron announced that Conservative Ministers and MPs were free to campaign in favour of remaining in the EU or leaving it, according to their conscience. This decision came after mounting pressure for
16950-723: The party has eighteen (out of 460) members of the Sejm , zero members of the Senate, zero members of the European Parliament and one member of a Regional Assembly - this being an increase of seven members in the Sejm and one in regional assemblies since the previous election . 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union The 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum , commonly referred to as
17100-535: The politicians who signed the treaty to join the EU "traitors." In Czechia, the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy opposes Czech membership of the European Union. In the Danish Parliament , the national conservative New Right party opposes Denmark's membership in the EU. The ideologically similar Danish People's Party in principle opposes EU membership, but has since 2001 in practice supported pro-EU right-wing coalitions. The party's support of
17250-507: The possibility and requirement for UK courts to ask for preliminary rulings on the application of EU law and related parts of the protocol. The 2019 revisions also adjusted elements of the political declaration, replacing the word "adequate" with "appropriate" in regard to labour standards. According to Sam Lowe, trade fellow at the Centre for European Reform , the change excludes labour standards from dispute settlement mechanisms. In addition,
17400-421: The principle of a referendum. When the Conservative Party won a majority of seats in the House of Commons at the 2015 general election , Cameron reiterated his party's manifesto commitment to hold an in-out referendum on UK membership of the EU by the end of 2017, but only after "negotiating a new settlement for Britain in the EU". In early 2014, David Cameron outlined the changes he aimed to bring about in
17550-563: The process of changing their status so that, instead of EU law applying fully or with limited exceptions, EU law mostly will not apply. The process also occurs in the opposite direction, as formal enlargements of the union occur. The procedure for implementing such changes was made easier by the Treaty of Lisbon . Algeria joined the European Communities as an integral part of the French Republic , since legally it
17700-527: The process of the country's withdrawal from the EU commonly termed " Brexit ". Since 1973 , the UK had been a member state of the EU and its predecessor the European Communities (principally the European Economic Community ), along with other international bodies. The constitutional implications of membership for the UK became a topic of debate domestically particularly regarding sovereignty. A referendum on continued membership of
17850-460: The referendum from the government, a leaflet was sent to every household in the UK. It contained details about why the government believed the UK should remain in the EU. This leaflet was criticised by those wanting to leave as giving the remain side an unfair advantage; it was also described as being inaccurate and a waste of taxpayers' money (it cost £9.3m in total). During the campaign, Nigel Farage suggested that there would be public demand for
18000-700: The referendum unless they were also previous residents of the United Kingdom (that is: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Some residents of the Isle of Man protested that they, as full British citizens under the British Nationality Act 1981 and living within the British Islands , should also have been given the opportunity to vote in the referendum, as the Isle and the Bailiwicks, although not included as if they were part of
18150-509: The referendum. The results recorded 51.9% of the votes cast being in favour of leaving. Most areas of England and Wales had a majority for Leave, and the majority of voters in Scotland , Northern Ireland , Greater London and Gibraltar chose Remain. Voter preference correlated with age, level of education and socioeconomic factors. The causes and reasoning of the Leave result have been
18300-517: The referendum. The electorate of 46,500,001 represented 70.8% of the population of 65,678,000 ( UK and Gibraltar ). Other than the residents of Gibraltar, British Overseas Territories Citizens residing in the British Overseas Territories were unable to vote in the referendum. Residents of the United Kingdom who were citizens of other EU countries were not allowed to vote unless they were citizens (or were also citizens) of
18450-568: The renegotiations was announced in February 2016. The renegotiated terms were in addition to the United Kingdom's existing opt-outs in the European Union and the UK rebate . The significance of the changes to the EU-UK agreement was contested and speculated upon, with none of the changes considered fundamental, but some considered important to many British people. Some limits to in-work benefits for EU immigrants were agreed, but these would apply on
18600-583: The rest of the UK, in regard to the customs border between the EU and UK, and its implications for the Good Friday agreement which had led to the end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, and specifically, whether the UK would be certain of being able to leave the EU in a practical sense, under the draft proposals. The following day, the advice was published. The question asked was, "What is
18750-403: The right to reside in the host State (Art. 13). The host State may not limit or condition the persons for obtaining, retaining or losing residence rights (Art. 13). Persons with valid documentation would not require entry and exit visas or equal formalities and would be permitted to leave or enter the host state without complications (Art. 14). In case the host State demands "family members who join
18900-526: The right to vote in elections to the European Parliament and the right to work in another EU country. On 6 September 2020, the Financial Times reported that the British government planned to draw up new legislation that would bypass the withdrawal agreement's Northern Ireland Protocol . The new law would give ministers the power to define what state aid needs to be reported to the EU, and define what products that at risk of being brought into Ireland from Northern Ireland (the withdrawal agreement states that in
19050-407: The rights of workers and self-employed individuals, and provides recognition and identification of professional qualifications. This title discusses special cases, administrative cooperation, legal adaptations and development of Union laws. The Agreement defines the goods, services and the processes connected to them. It claims that any good or service that was lawfully placed in the market prior to
19200-420: The same conditions as any other applicant country and need to negotiate a Treaty of Accession, ratified by every member state. TFEU Article 355 (6), introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon allows the status of French, Dutch and Danish overseas territories to be changed more easily, by no longer requiring a full treaty revision. Instead, the European Council may, on the initiative of the member state concerned, change
19350-424: The same conditions as any other applicant country. Remaining members of the EU would need to manage consequential changes over the EU's budgets , voting allocations and policies brought about by the withdrawal of any member state. This system provides for a negotiated withdrawal, rather than an abrupt exit from the Union. This preference for a negotiated withdrawal is based on the expected complexities of leaving
19500-500: The scope of free movement rights, third country nationals who had no prior lawful residence in a Member State before marrying a Union citizen" and to make it easier for member states to deport EU nationals for public policy or public security reasons. The extent to which the various parts of the agreement would be legally binding is complex; no part of the agreement itself changed EU law, but some parts could be enforceable in international law. The EU had reportedly offered David Cameron
19650-519: The second, the treaties are for an unlimited period, with no provision for withdrawal and calling for an "ever closer union" – such commitment to unification is incompatible with a unilateral withdrawal. The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties states where a party wants to withdraw unilaterally from a treaty that is silent on such procedure, there are only two cases where withdrawal is allowed: where all parties recognise an informal right to do so and where
19800-418: The situation has changed so drastically, that the obligations of a signatory have been radically transformed. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union , enacted by the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, introduced for the first time a procedure for a member state to withdraw voluntarily from the EU. The article states that: A qualified majority shall be defined in accordance with Article 238(3)(b) of
19950-442: The status of Saint Barthélemy to an overseas country or territory (OCT) associated with the European Union. The status change came into effect from 1 January 2012. The UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020, following on a public vote held in June 2016. However, the country benefited from a transition period to give time to negotiate a trade deal between the UK and the EU . The British government led by David Cameron held
20100-505: The status of an overseas country or territory (OCT) to an outermost region (OMR) or vice versa. Some former territories of European Union members broke formal links with the EU when they gained independence from their ruling country or were transferred to an EU non-member state. Most of these territories were not classed as part of the EU, but were at most associated with OCT status, and EC laws were generally not in force in these countries. Some current territories changed or are in
20250-456: The subject of analysis and commentary. Immediately after the result , financial markets reacted negatively worldwide, and Cameron announced that he would resign as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party , which he did in July. The referendum prompted an array of international reactions . Jeremy Corbyn faced a Labour Party leadership challenge as a result of the referendum. In 2017,
20400-408: The terms of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and Euratom. The text of the treaty was published on 17 October 2019, and is a renegotiated version of an agreement published in November 2018. The earlier version of the withdrawal agreement was rejected by the House of Commons on three occasions, leading to the resignation of Theresa May as Prime Minister and the appointment of Boris Johnson as
20550-498: The terms of withdrawal as formally agreed between the UK government and the EU Commission. After the European Parliament ratified the agreement on 29 January, the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union at 23:00 London time (GMT) on 31 January 2020, with a withdrawal agreement in place. Several states have political parties represented in national assemblies or the European Parliament that advocate withdrawal from
20700-702: The text. In the agreement, protocols also exist for the ' Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus ' and Gibraltar . The Irish backstop was removed, and replaced by a new protocol on Northern Ireland / Ireland . This new protocol meant that Great Britain could fully leave the European Single Market and the EU Customs Union but that Northern Ireland would be out of the EU Customs Union de jure but not de facto . Another difference
20850-555: The vote (2 June 2016). The minimum age for voters in the referendum was set to 18 years, in line with the Representation of the People Act, as amended. A House of Lords amendment proposing to lower the minimum age to 16 years was rejected. The deadline to register to vote was initially midnight on 7 June 2016; however, this was extended by 48 hours owing to technical problems with the official registration website on 7 June, caused by unusually high web traffic. Some supporters of
21000-564: The withdrawal from the Union may be further made available to the consumers in the UK or the Union States (Art. 40 & 41). This title addresses the custom procedures of goods moving from the customs territory of the UK to the customs territory of the Union and vice versa (Art. 47). The processes that start before the end of the transition period "shall be treated as an intra-Union movement regarding importation and exportation licensing requirements in Union law". The Agreement also addresses
21150-493: Was a result of the Brexit negotiations . The agreement was endorsed by the leaders of the 27 remaining EU countries and the British Government led by Prime Minister Theresa May, but faced opposition in the British parliament, whose approval was necessary for ratification. Approval by the European Parliament would also have been required. On 15 January 2019, the House of Commons rejected the withdrawal agreement by
21300-494: Was a unilateral exit mechanism for the Northern Ireland Assembly which has a vote every four years on whether to continue with these arrangements, for which a simple majority is required. A continuity with the backstop was providing for the application of EU-law in the area of goods and electricity and a role for the European Court of Justice with regards to procedures in case of non-compliance as well as
21450-597: Was initially unable to confirm the exact number of those affected. The matter was resolved by the issuance of a software patch which rendered the wrongly recorded electors ineligible to vote on 23 June. Residents of the Crown Dependencies (which are not part of the United Kingdom), namely the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey , even if they were British citizens, were excluded from
21600-400: Was modified to allow national parliaments collectively to object to proposed EU laws, in which case the European Council would reconsider the proposal before itself deciding what to do. On economic governance, anti-discrimination regulations for non-Eurozone members would be reinforced, but they would be unable to veto any legislation. The final two areas covered were proposals to "exclude from
21750-466: Was not an overseas territory of France but rather one of its overseas departments . Upon its independence in 1962, Algeria ceased to be part of France. However, the implications of Algeria's independence on its relationship with the EEC was legally unresolved, since the Treaty of Rome , which explicitly referred to Algeria by name as subject to the treaty's provisions, was not immediately amended. In 1976
21900-463: Was suggested at the time that Cameron was planning to hold the referendum in October 2016, but the European Union Referendum Act 2015, which authorised it, went before the House of Commons the following day, just three weeks after the election. On the bill's second reading on 9 June, members of the House of Commons voted by 544 to 53 in favour, endorsing the principle of holding a referendum, with only
22050-460: Was taken forward as a Private member's bill by Conservative MP James Wharton which was known as the European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013 . The bill's First Reading in the House of Commons took place on 19 June 2013. Cameron was said by a spokesperson to be "very pleased" and would ensure the Bill was given "the full support of the Conservative Party". Regarding the ability of the bill to bind
22200-476: Was tested before legislation was introduced. The UK does not have constitutional provisions which would require the results of a referendum to be implemented , unlike, for example, the Republic of Ireland , where the circumstances in which a binding referendum should be held are set out in its constitution . In contrast, the legislation that provided for the referendum held on AV in May 2011 would have implemented
22350-504: Was the most neutral wording from the range of options ... considered and tested", citing responses to its consultation by a diverse range of consultees. The proposed question was accepted by the government in September 2015, shortly before the bill's third reading. The question that appeared on ballot papers in the referendum under the Act was: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of
22500-450: Was widely speculated that a June date for the referendum was a serious possibility. The First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales co-signed a letter to Cameron on 3 February 2016 asking him not to hold the referendum in June, as devolved elections were scheduled to take place the previous month on 5 May. These elections had been postponed for a year to avoid a clash with the 2015 general election, after Westminster had implemented
#445554