Brexit, who should have the final say?

 Progressive European Party

It will not be easy to persuade parliament to agree to another referendum on our EU membership. Parliament is sovereign, to give the vote to the people takes sovereignty away from parliament and gives it to citizens. This is unconstitutional. The last referendum result is being enforced because David Cameron made the promise that it would be, but constitutionally it is only advisory.

There would never be a second vote in any case just because remain voters did not like the first result. What the so-called second referendum, if it happens, should be is not a second referendum at all but a new referendum on how we should now proceed.

For it to work it would have to be multi-option,

Stay in the EU

Leave the EU but stay in the customs union and single market

Leave the EU but stay only in the single market

Leave the EU but stay only in the customs union

Leave the EU without a deal

Leave the EU with the deal that has been agreed with the EU (when there is one)

Leave the EU but reject the deal and negotiate a new one

Complex yes and highly unlikely to happen that way. So should we be campaigning for a new referendum at all or should we only be campaigning to stay in the EU?

The position of the Progressive Party is simple, one of the cornerstones of Progressive policy is to replace Parliamentary sovereignty with a Direct democracy. Therefore we are supporting the call for a new referendum because that is as close to Direct democracy we can currently get until there is a Progressive administration in power.

Philip Notley