The Petitions Committee, a cross-party group of MPs that is independent from the Government, has decided to debate the possibility of a second EU referendum.
In a move that will send hope surging through the insurance sector in the UK as it looks to preserve jobs, the move is a reaction to an overwhelming number of signatures on a petition entitled “EU Referendum Rules triggering a 2nd EU Referendum”.
However, the debate will not have the power to call for a second referendum – ultimately that can only be determined by the Government.
Here is the statement announcing the House of Commons debate:
“The Petitions Committee has decided to schedule a House of Commons debate on this petition. The debate will take place on 5 September at 4.30pm in Westminster Hall, the second debating chamber of the House of Commons. The debate will be opened by Ian Blackford MP.
“The Committee has decided that the huge number of people signing this petition means that it should be debated by MPs. The Petitions Committee would like to make clear that, in scheduling this debate, they are not supporting the call for a second referendum. The debate will allow MPs to put forward a range of views on behalf of their constituents. At the end of the debate, a Government Minister will respond to the points raised.
“A debate in Westminster Hall does not have the power to change the law, and won’t end with the House of Commons deciding whether or not to have a second referendum. Moreover, the petition – which was opened on 25 May, well before the referendum – calls for the referendum rules to be changed. It is now too late for the rules to be changed retrospectively. It will be up to the Government to decide whether it wants to start the process of agreeing a new law for a second referendum.”
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