Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bills

The Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bills were a series of private member's bills of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to make provision for the holding of a second referendum in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar on whether or not to leave the European Union either before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty can be triggered or following the conclusion of negotiations by the Welsh Labour MP Geraint Davies. The first version of this bill was presented in the 2016–2017 session of Parliament to the House of Commons and received its first reading on 6 July 2016 but lapsed when Parliament was dissolved. The Government triggered Article 50 at the end of March 2017.[1]

Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bill 2016-17
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title 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 46
Considered by	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Legislative history
Introduced by	Geraint Davies
First reading	6 July 2016
Second reading	24 February 2017
Status: Not passed

Terms of Withdrawal from EU (Referendum) Bill 2017-19
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title 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, following the completion of formal exit negotiations; and for connected purposes.
Citation	HC Bill 103
Considered by	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Legislative history
Introduced by	Geraint Davies
First reading	6 September 2017
Second reading	26 October 2018
Status: Not passed

Part of a series of articles on
Brexit
Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union Glossary of terms
Background Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom United Kingdom opt-outs from EU legislation Campaigns for a referendum People's Pledge Labour for a Referendum Bloomberg speech Project Fear Brexit: The Movie In or Out 2013–14 EU (Referendum) Bill (unsuccessful) 2015–16 EU membership renegotiation 2015 EU Referendum Act (Gibraltar) Opinion polling on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union
2016 referendum Issues Endorsements Opinion polling Results Causes for result International reactions Allegations of unlawful campaigning Immediate aftermath 2016 Conservative Party election 2016 Labour Party election 2016 UKIP election Department for Exiting the EU Department for International Trade Campaigns Leave campaigns Vote Leave (official) Business for Britain Conservatives for Britain Students for Britain BeLeave Leave.EU Bpoplive The Freedom Association Better Off Out Grassroots Out Labour Leave Get Britain Out Bruges Group Campaign for an Independent Britain Remain campaigns Britain Stronger in Europe (official) Labour In for Britain European Movement UK Britain in Europe British Influence Business for New Europe Nucleus
Notice of withdrawal Article 50 process R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017
Negotiations Negotiation positions EU negotiation mandate Chequers agreement Timeline: 2017, 2018, 2019
Withdrawal agreement Brexit divorce bill Irish backstop No-deal Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol Continuing United Kingdom relationship with the European Union
Parliamentary votes Withdrawal Act 2018 (Gibraltar) Cooper–Letwin Act Benn Act Public Vote Bill (not passed) Terms of Withdrawal Bills (not passed) Scottish EU Continuity Bill (blocked) Withdrawal Agreement Act (Gibraltar) European Union (Future Relationship) Bill
Impact Impact on the Irish border Good Friday Agreement Impact on the EU Economic effects Effects on Gibraltar Scientific cooperation
EU–UK relations United Kingdom–European Union relations Trade deal negotiation between the UK and EU EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) Partnership Council Relations with EU Member States Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Akrotiri and Dhekelia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Ireland-UK Border British–Irish Council North/South Ministerial Council Italy Lithuania Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Spain Status of Gibraltar Gibraltar–Spain Border Sweden Conjectured EEA membership
Opposition in the UK Post-referendum opinion polling New initiatives Change Britain More United Open Britain The New European Unite to Remain Led By Donkeys Revoke Article 50 petition Postcards from the 48% Proposed second Scottish independence referendum Calls for a second referendum People's Vote Britain for Europe European Movement UK For our Future's Sake Healthier IN the EU InFacts Open Britain Our Future Our Choice Scientists for EU Other organisations Best for Britain Bollocks to Brexit Change UK Liberal Democrats Right to Vote
Timeline Bloomberg speech Jan 2013 European Parliament election May 2014 2015 general election May 2015 Renegotiation begins Jun 2015 Referendum Act passed Dec 2015 Renegotiation concluded Feb 2016 Referendum held Jun 2016 Theresa May becomes PM Jul 2016 Article 50 judgement Jan 2017 Notification Act passed Mar 2017 Article 50 invoked Mar 2017 2017 general election Jun 2017 Brexit negotiations begin Jun 2017 Withdrawal Act passed Jun 2018 Chequers plan presented Jul 2018 Withdrawal agreement released Nov 2018 Meaningful votes Jan–Mar 2019 Brexit delayed until 12 April Mar 2019 Cooper–Letwin Act passed Apr 2019 Brexit delayed until 31 October Apr 2019 European Parliament election May 2019 Boris Johnson becomes PM Jul 2019 Prorogation & annulment Aug-Sep 2019 Benn Act passed Sep 2019 Withdrawal agreement revised Oct 2019 Brexit delayed until 31 January Oct 2019 2019 general election Dec 2019 Agreement Act passed Jan 2020 UK leaves the EU Jan 2020 Implementation period begins Jan 2020 UK–EU trade deal agreed Dec 2020 Future Relationship Act passed Dec 2020 Implementation period ends Dec 2020 New EU–UK relationship begins Jan 2021 UK–EU trade deal ratified Apr 2021
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A second version this bill was presented in the 2017–2019 session of Parliament, after Article 50 was triggered. The bill with its proposal to hold a referendum on the negotiated terms of withdrawal from the EU remains in the UK parliament and was first introduced to the House of Commons and received its first reading 6 September 2017 and its due to have its second reading on 6 July 2018.[2]

Origin

On 23 June 2016 the United Kingdom and Gibraltar voted by 51.9% to 48.1% to Leave the European Union in the 2016 EU membership referendum. The result saw contrasting views throughout the country with Greater London, Northern Ireland and Scotland strongly voting to remain whilst all the other English regions and Wales voted to leave.

The original 2016-17 bill sought to hold the proposed referendum before Article 50 could be formally triggered by HM Government however the bill failed to pass before the United Kingdom triggered Article 50 on 29 March 2017 and the snap general election which was held on 8 June 2017. This led to a second version of the bill which proposes to hold the referendum following the conclusion of negotiations between the Government and the European Union.

Bills proposed referendum question

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

Do you support the Government’s proposed United Kingdom and Gibraltar exit package for negotiating 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 Governments proposed exit package
Remain a member of the European Union

The Bills also order the question to be printed in Welsh.

See also

• 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum
• European Union Referendum Act 2015
• European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017
• United Kingdom invocation of Article 50
• Opposition to Brexit in the United Kingdom
• European Union Withdrawal Agreement (Public Vote) Bill 2017-19

References