Second EU referendum petition will be considered for parliament debate as signatures hit 100,000
The government will be issuing a response
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
A petition calling for changes to the referendum process, which would precipitate a second one on the UK’s EU membership, has become the fastest petition on parliament.uk to reach the 100,000 signature threshold that requires it to be considered for debate by MPs.
The petition has attracted 119,037 signees at the time of writing, and a response from the Home Office will come in due course.
Don’t expect too much, though, given how quickly the government shut down last year’s petition to legalise cannabis.
The latest one asserts that a second referendum is required if the result of the first is less than 60% in favour of either side based on a turnout of less than 75%.
While Remain voters may crave another bite at the cherry, it’s unlikely the government will listen to the pleas, which are not dissimilar from rolling a one on a dice and then saying that you deserve another roll.
During his resignation speech, Prime Minister David Cameron said that, though it landed against him too, the result must be respected and the decision to exit the EU upheld. He has yet to set a timeframe for it.
Almost half the country did not want to leave the EU and this must be addressed, with London Mayor Sadiq Khan this morning saying that “we all have a responsibility to now seek to heal the divisions that have emerged throughout this campaign - and to focus on that which unites us, rather than that which divides us."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments