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What are the options on a second Brexit referendum? What are the options on a second Brexit referendum?
No, there shouldn't be a second Brexit referendum No, there shouldn't be a second Brexit referendum
It is an irrelevant debate It is an irrelevant debate
There should be a second Brexit referendum There should be a second Brexit referendum
Referendum between the May plan and a hard Brexit Referendum between the May plan and a hard Brexit
Referendum between the May plan and canceling Brexit Referendum between the May plan and canceling Brexit
Referendum with all options on the ballot Referendum with all options on the ballot
A second Brexit referendum undermines democracy A second Brexit referendum undermines democracy
A second Brexit referendum would be divisive A second Brexit referendum would be divisive
We don’t have time for a second Brexit referendum We don’t have time for a second Brexit referendum
We need a General Election not a Second Referendum We need a General Election not a Second Referendum
The Leave campaign undermined the legitimacy of the first referendum The Leave campaign undermined the legitimacy of the first referendum
We need another referendum to settle the Brexit debate We need another referendum to settle the Brexit debate
The people who voted for Brexit are dying off The people who voted for Brexit are dying off
The Brexit on offer is not what we voted for The Brexit on offer is not what we voted for
Brexit needs further clarification Brexit needs further clarification
We've changed our mind on Brexit We've changed our mind on Brexit
A No-Deal Brexit is the worst-of-all-worlds scenario A No-Deal Brexit is the worst-of-all-worlds scenario
A second Brexit referendum must represent all opinions A second Brexit referendum must represent all opinions
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What are the options on a second Brexit referendum?
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It is an irrelevant debate

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We don’t have time for a second Brexit referendum

It is a pointless debate because we don’t have time for a second referendum before the Article 50 deadline.
The Constitution Unit at University College London Theresa May
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Context

On March 29th, 2017, Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Under the terms of the treaty, this gave the UK two years to leave the European Union. The deadline is March 29th,2019.

The Argument

This deadline does not leave enough time stage a second referendum. The bill for the first referendum took seven months to pass. Although the process could likely be expedited this time around given that many of the logistical arrangements would remain the same from 2016, this still leaves the UK with an unrealistically short time span to organise a national referendum.[1] Parliament has to pass a bill calling for the referendum, then the Electoral Commission has to assess and approve the wording of the question. British law also requires a ten-week campaigning period before a referendum can be held. This is not feasible in the short timeframe.[2] A report from the Constitution Unit at University College London analysed the mechanics of holding a second referendum and concluded that even in a best-case scenario, the government would need 22 weeks to implement a second referendum. There are less than 22 weeks left before the deadline.[3]

Counter arguments

There is no legal precedent for the Article 50 deadline. No nation has triggered it before. Nor has any nation left the EU before. Therefore, the deadline is more flexible than many believe. The UK could negotiate an extension with the EU. If the EU believes that a second referendum may be on the cards it should be amenable to the idea, especially if the option to remain in the EU is on the ballot, given it wants the UK to remain in the union.[4]

Proponents

Premises

The Article 50 deadline for Britain to leave the EU is at the end of March. There is not enough time to hold a second referendum before the deadline.

Rejecting the premises

The UK can ask Europe for an extension on the deadline.

References

  1. https://www.economist.com/britain/2018/07/19/a-second-brexit-referendum-is-back-in-play
  2. https://www.ft.com/content/b17ff2b6-cd45-11e8-9fe5-24ad351828ab
  3. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/publications/tabs/unit-publications/The_Mechanics_of_a_Further_Referendum_on_Brexit
  4. https://nationalinterest.org/feature/there-will-be-no-second-brexit-referendum-33837
This page was last edited on Monday, 20 Jan 2020 at 09:20 UTC

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