"The referendum result was not legally binding due to the concept of Parliamentary sovereignty. However, it was widely accepted that the vote would be the final say on the matter. In a 1975 pamphlet, then Prime Minister Harold Wilson said: "[. . .] I ask you to use your vote. For it is your vote that will now decide. The Government will accept your verdict."[2] The pamphlet also said: "Now the time has come for you to decide. The Government will accept your decision - whichever way it goes." "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_European_Communities_membership_referendum,_1975
If the 2016 vote to leave is worthless, then so was the 1975 vote to remain. The real constitutional crisis was inherent in making the abdication of national sovereignty merely a (heavily downplayed) plank in party politics.
Three other countries had a referendum on the issue beforehand, in 1972 - and Norway said no. The UK waited for 3 years and held a referendum only because the Labour Party opposed EEC membership while in opposition.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Accession_1972
Either we are headed out, or we were never in.
6 comments:
I like this argument - it cuts to the chase very neatly indeed.
Now it has to be said publicly.
This is something I have been saying for a long time, but for different reasons, the fact being we voted to join the EEC not the EU and were lied to by all and sundry as they were fully aware of what was down the road.
I have read the warning label. Not sure what it means. It looks to me like the Brexit can't go forward, because of legislation many years ago.
Enlighten us in the USA. I can't figure it out. You won the referendum, but it goes nowhere from here, in my interpretation of English law.
HI, Jim. Opinion is divided. An expert on these matters says that all EU law requires is for the government (not Parliament) to notify its intention to leave.
http://www.eureferendum.com/blogview.aspx?blogno=86301
I have been saying this for ages, although there was later an acceptance referendum for the ECM. The Lisbon treaty however is completely illegal and there was no referendum, yet it is the Lisbon treaty which made EU laws supreme.
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