At 17:54 27/06/2016 +0000, John Veit-Wilson wrote:
>Thank you -- that's very clear about the Parliamentary position, and
>confirms what I'd understood, that the referendum is advisory and
>Parliament must decide in pursuit of its responsibility to ensure the best
>interests of the UK, not necessarily following the guidance given by a
>close referendum vote ...
That has also always been my belief, but I presume it is actually the
legislation which introduced the referendum which _might_ (I have no idea)
indicate that a majority result would be binding on government. What I am
pretty certain of is that 'the EU' can do nothing on the basis of our local
referendum, which is really 'none of their business'. If/when, and only
if, the UK government eventually apply to leave the EU can anything be done
by the EU, or any clocks be started.
>That's not the impression given by some politicians, including Cameron,
>who talk as if the ref result is unquestionably binding on 'the country'
>and Parliament. That needs to be publicly denied. I hope the difference
>can be brought out and explained clearly to the country as a whole ...
I would think that "having given his word" (as the leader of the
government) that he is under a considerable moral, even if not legal,
obligation to respect the outcome of the referendum, and there would
presumably be an awful lot of flack from the pro-Leave folk (who, after
all, were 'the majority'!) if he did not. The question seeming being
debated at present is whether a different government, or even the same one
with a new Prime Minister, would be under the same degree of obligation
(moral or whatever) to respect the result of the referendum.
Kind Regards,
John
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