Overview

This bill mandates a United Kingdom referendum on continued European Union membership, to be held on the date of the next general election. The referendum will ask voters whether they agree the UK should leave the EU.

Description

This bill outlines the legal framework for a nationwide referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

Referendum Details

The referendum will take place on the same day as the next general election. The ballot question will be: "I AGREE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION" or "I DO NOT AGREE THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM SHOULD LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION". Those eligible to vote are the same as those entitled to vote in a parliamentary election. The bill specifies the appointment of a Chief Counting Officer and constituency counting officers to manage the vote count. The process for counting and certifying votes is detailed, and legal challenges to the official count are prohibited.

Government Spending

The bill states that all expenditure related to the referendum, including preparations for potential EU withdrawal, will be met from the Consolidated Fund and money provided by Parliament. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

The bill impacts several groups:

• UK Voters: They will be directly affected by the referendum, having the opportunity to vote on the UK's EU membership.
• Government Departments: They will be responsible for organizing and managing the referendum, incurring associated costs.
• Electoral Officials: They will be tasked with organizing and conducting the referendum according to the bill's stipulations.
• The Judiciary: The bill explicitly prevents judicial review of the vote count.

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