Fair Referendum


The Conditions for a Fair Referendum on Membership of the European Union

There has rarely been a fair, open and un-manipulated Referendum on the European Union organised by any State. So there has never been an opportunity for an informed electorate to express its real political will. There has always been a “question” to which the answer the Governments wanted was “Yes”. So there was a double manipulation – the form of the question which usually guided the voter (“Do you agree that…..”) and the manipulation of “Yes” by attaching that response to the answer the Government favours. Therefore there must be no question – just alternative statements set out on the ballot paper – see below.

1. Only British citizens will be permitted to vote.

2. The Question must be in the form of alternative statements: “I want the UK to accept the renegotiated (or existing see 7.) membership of the European Union” or “I want the UK to form a free trading self governing relationship with the European Union” – put in two separate boxes at the same level on the ballot paper.

3. Neither the Government nor the Government machine will be active in the referendum. The Governing parties will not be active as participants and their members and MPs will only be active as supporters of one side or the other. A Referendum is of the People and the Government shall have no separate role to play.

4. There will be only two active parties in the referendum and they will each provide scrutineers at all count venues and at the postal ballot count.

5. Only Government funds, split equally, will be available to each side. No funding will be allowed from business, trade unions, the European Commission or any third party nor will any third party be permitted to provide any materials, services or facilities whatsoever to the competing campaigns or to the British public in any form. The penalty for infraction will be a fine twice the value of the services provided.

6. The result of the Referendum will be binding on Parliament and politicians. Should the decision be to leave the European Union then the 1972 European Act will be repealed within 6 months and the United Kingdom will leave the European Union and begin negotiations as an unencumbered sovereign State to establish free trading and co-operation agreements with the EU and EEA States not part of the European Union and the British Commonwealth. The UK will not act under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty as the country will no longer be part of that constitutional Law.

7. If the negotiations conducted for a new relationship with the EU are not concluded by the time the Referendum must be held (say December 31st 2017), the alternative statements (see 2. above) put to the electorate must reflect the fact that there has been no successful renegotiation and the choice must be between the existing arrangements and “I want the UK to form a free trading self governing relationship with the European Union”.