Should rejoining the EU be decided by referendum rather than being a manifesto commitment?
The UK left the EU following the 2016 referendum. Under current Prime Minister Andy Burnham, the government maintains red lines against rejoining the single market, customs union or free movement but faces internal and external pressure including from Tony Blair to set a path towards rejoining a reformed EU within a decade. There is no legal requirement for a referendum on rejoining, though many argue consistency with the Brexit vote demands one while others say a manifesto commitment and parliamentary vote would suffice.
7 Opinions
The referendum was based on a number of lies, and a promise made by the PM at the time. A further vote, with the truth, the gains and losses clearly defined may be worth doing. Whether it be a HC only vote or a countrywide vote is something I have no preference on.
We voted to leave, you can't just turn around a few years later & disregard our vote
First the government needs to implement Brexit properly. If they plan to rejoin there has to be a proper debate about it instead of the nonstop EU propaganda. Until Labour took power we were outperforming France, Germany and Italy, the only comparable economies. We had higher inward foreign investment than France and Germany combined, record levels of exports to the EU and record levels of employment. Brexit is not the problem. Net zero is! A referendum is essential.
As well as a referendum on joining, this can only be on favourable terms and to a different EU than we left, otherwise we’ll only end up wanting out again.
Yes and not just a binary in or out. We need options. Which also requires the EU to be open to that. The EU we left is not the EU it is now. We would be joining an increasingly right wing Europe. I believe that if the option was for something akin to the common market and that had been on the table, or the last referendum had included legislation that would have prevented ceding any more power to Europe without a referendum on each separate issue, leave wouldn't have won.
Referendums can be divisive, and reduce choices to binary outcomes. However, symmetry, fairness and the need for public acceptance makes me support the idea of rejoining only if people support it through another referendum -- once the terms of a deal are settled and clear, but not before. We joined after a referendum, left after one and if people want to rejoin, let me them have a direct vote.
A referendum held today would be a win for rejoin. But it should be a binding agreement for the next 70 years.