European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017-19

European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017-19
Parliament of the United Kingdom
A Bill to Require the holding of a referendum to endorse the United Kingdom and Gibraltar exit package proposed by HM Government for withdrawal from the EU, or to decide to remain a member, prior to the UK giving notice under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union; and for connected purposes.
Citation HC Bill 208
Considered by Parliament of the United Kingdom
Legislative history
Introduced by Geraint Davies
First reading 9 May 2018
Second reading 26 October 2018
Repealing legislation
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 (automatically upon the result of the public vote in the event of more votes cast in favour of Remain a member of the European Union)
Related legislation
Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011
Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
Status: Pending

The European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017-19 is a private member's bill of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to make provision for the holding of a “public vote” (referendum) in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar following the conclusion of negotiations by HM Government and the European Union on whether to support the proposed exit deal for the United Kingdom’s Withdrawal from the European Union or to remain a member state of the EU. The bill is sponsored by Welsh Labour MP Geraint Davies.[1]

The Public Vote

The Bill proposes that a “Public Vote” (referendum) is held in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar before 1 February 2019 on whether to support the proposed Withdrawal Agreement which would take the UK out of the European Union or whether to reject the proposed agreement and remain a member state of the EU.

The Bill also requires the Secretary of State to lay before each House of Parliament a copy of the proposed Withdrawal Agreement no later than 31 October 2018.

Proposed Public vote question

The bill give the proposed question to appear on ballot papers:

“Do you support the Government’s proposed United Kingdom and Gibraltar Agreement for withdrawal from the European Union or Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?”

with the responses to the question to be (to be marked with a single (X)):

Support the proposed Withdrawal Agreement
Remain a member of the European Union

The Bill also orders the question to be printed in Welsh.

Public Vote Definition

The Bill proposes to legally define the referendum as a “public vote” as follows:

1 Subject to the following paragraphs—

(a) the provisions of Part 7 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (general provision about referendums) apply to the public vote under this Act, and

(b) those provisions shall apply as if, for the words “referendum” and “referendums” in each case where they appear, the words “public vote” and “public votes” respectively.

2 (1) It shall the duty of all public authorities, in publications and communications about the public vote provided for under this Act, to use

the term “public vote” and not to use the term “referendum”.

Public Vote Outcome

The Bill stipulates that the proposed Withdrawal Agreement cannot be ratified unless the following two conditions as follows if more votes are cast in favour of “Support the Withdrawal Agreement”:

4 Result of the Public Vote

(1)The Government shall not conclude any agreement on terms of withdrawal from the European Union, or on the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the European Union, until the conditions in subsection (2) are met.

(2) The conditions are that— (a) more votes are cast in the public vote held under section 2 in favour of the answer “Support the proposed Withdrawal Agreement” than the answer “Remain a member of the European Union”, and (b) the terms of withdrawal from the European Union have been approved by resolution in both Houses of Parliament.

(3) The resolutions, under subsection (2)(b), in both Houses of Parliament must be passed within one week after the result of the public vote, held under section 2, is declared.

More votes cast in favour of “Support the Proposed Withdrawal Agreement”

If more votes are cast in favour of “Support the Proposed Withdrawal Agreement” than both houses of Parliament is required to vote on whether to ratify the proposed Withdrawal Agreement within one week of the public vote result being declared and requires the Secretary of State to repeal the provisions to remain in the EU as follows:

(7)If—

(a) more votes are cast in the public vote in favour of the answer “Support the proposed Withdrawal Agreement” than “Remain a member of the European Union”, and

(b) the resolutions, under subsection (2)(b), in both Houses of Parliament approve the terms of withdrawal from the European Union,the Secretary of State must by regulations repeal section 5 (“provisions to remain in the European Union”).

More votes cast in favour of “Remain a member of the European Union”

If more votes are cast in favour of “Remain a member of the European Union” then the Bill proposes to automatically repeal the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 upon the result of the public vote and requires the Prime Minister to notify the EU of the UK’s retraction of it’s Article 50 notice as follows.

5 Result of the public vote: provisions to remain in the European Union

(1) The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 is repealed.

(2) The Prime Minister must notify the European Commission of the retraction of the notification under Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union of the United Kingdom’s intention to leave the European Union.

Power to precipitate an early General Election

The Bill legislates that if both conditions that are required to rectify the proposed Withdrawal Agreement cannot be legally met (ie the Withdrawal Agreement is approved by public vote [referendum] but is rejected by Parliament) then the Bill states that the provisions of section 2 of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 automatically comes into effect automatically within one week of the result of the public vote as follows:

the provisions of section 2 of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act 2011 (“early parliamentary general election”) shall apply in these circumstances as if the House of Commons had passed a motion under section 2(2) of that Act.

See also

Further reading

  • "Len McCluskey: Unite will back new EU referendum if members want one". BBC News. 2 July 2018. - interview with Len McCluskey head of Unite Union.

References

  1. ↑ "European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill (HC Bill 208) — UK Parliament". services.parliament.uk.
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