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To: UKrepublican
-- If leaves wins, we will 100% be leaving the EU. --

I have my doubts on that, especially if the vote is close

Could MPs block an EU exit if Britain votes for it?

Michael, from East Sussex asks an intriguing question - could the necessary legislation pass the Commons if all SNP and Lib Dems, nearly all Labour and many Conservative MPs were in favour of staying?

The answer is that technically MPs could block an EU exit - but it would be seen as political suicide to go against the will of the people as expressed in a referendum. The referendum result is not legally binding - Parliament still has to pass the laws that will get Britain out of the 28 nation bloc, starting with the repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act.

The withdrawal agreement would also have to be ratified by Parliament - the House of Lords and/or the Commons could vote against ratification, according to a House of Commons library report.


58 posted on 06/23/2016 3:26:51 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Cboldt

It also matters what “leave” entails?

If Britain simply joins the European Economic Area instead like Norway for instance...

What has really been gained?


59 posted on 06/23/2016 3:31:17 AM PDT by Eurotwit (u)
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To: Cboldt
What that ignores is the Reserve Powers of the Monarch - which are real even if they are very rarely used primarily because a government and Parliament always backs down well before there is any chance they might come into play.

Let's say this happened theoretically - that the Referendum said leave, and the government did not pass legislation.

At that point, the Queen would be justified in removing the Prime Minister from office and if necessary dismissing the entire government and appointing a new Prime Minister and government specifically on the condition they enact this legislation and then go to the polls for a general election. At that point, the legislation would almost certainly be passed.

If it still didn't pass, the Queen would dissolve Parliament for a new election - and the people would have the power to elect a new House of Commons. It is very hard to envisage a situation in which the people would not elect a House of Commons that would pass the legislation - there would be such a level of outrage at Parliament's ignoring a referendum result that the new Parliament would go the other way.

Theoretically it's possible - realistically it isn't. It would bring into play powers the Monarch hasn't had to use in over 170 years - but they still exist to be used in an emergency.

60 posted on 06/23/2016 3:34:59 AM PDT by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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