Indexed list of Blogs
We have compiled a list of articles about the People’s Vote – the referendum on the terms with the option to Remain. I recommend that you bookmark this article. You will then have the information to hand if a question comes up about how the referendum should be conducted or an argument that it should not be held. If there are questions that come up when campaigning that are not answered here please contact us so that we can try to provide answers.
In addition to our own blogs, key sources are UCL’s Constitution Unit and the Institute for Government – links to their work are marked as such. I would encourage you if you are interested to subscribe to their updates.
Sometimes the context of older blogs has passed - they may refer to future votes of the like. We have kept them in the index because their core message is still relevant. But please do use older blogs with discretion.
We have a separate index of blogs that make the pro-EU case. We have published some of the material in easy to use Campaigners' Briefs - two-page notes of points to make, points to watch out for and background information - that should help you when you are out canvassing or on a street stall (or just for any conversation with a Leaver).
** Updated 27 September 2019 **
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A: THE OVERALL CASE
A1: The Overall Plan for the People’s Vote
A2: The case for the referendum on the terms
A3: Only a referendum can resolve Brexit: not a general election, legal proceedings or revocation
A4: Improved rules for the conduct of the referendum
A5: Article 50 notification may be withdrawn without penalty
B: DEALING WITH ARGUMENTS AGAINST A REFERENDUM
B1: "It's a betrayal of 2016"
B2: "The EU always insists on re-running referenda it does not like"
B3: Problems of our terminology
B4: Parliamentary sovereignty
B5: A referendum would be divisive &c
B6: Would holding a referendum lead the EU to offer a bad deal?
C: PRACTICAL ISSUES
C1: Structural questions: what choices and how to run a three-choice referendum
C2: How long would it take to hold a referendum?/ how would a referendum be set up by Parliament
C3: Will the terms be clear enough to allow a vote
C4: we should run with the franchise &c from 2016
D: UK POLITICS
D1: Lessons from 1975 for the Labour Party
E: HOW TO WIN THE REFERENDUM FOR REMAIN
E1: Getting the Referendum is just the start - we must campaign now to win it
F: HOW TO CAMPAIGN FOR A REFERENDUM
F1: Campaign messages
F2: How to campaign so that your MP supports the referendum
A: THE OVERALL CASE
A1: The Overall Plan for the People’s Vote
On 9 August 2018, the UCL Constitution Unit set out seven questions that needed to be answered to assess whether a referendum was possible
On 9 October 2018, the UCL Constitution Unit published a report "The Mechanics of a Further Referendum on Brexit". The various UCL blogs linked to in this post are shortened versions of chapters of the full report.
On 3 December 2018, the UCL Constitution Unit published an update of the key questions that needed to be addressed on a second Brexit referendum.
A2: The case for the referendum on the terms
Why a referendum is the right answer
A3: Only a referendum can resolve Brexit: not a general election, legal proceedings or revocation
A General Election cannot resolve Brexit
What question does a general election answer?
Legal proceedings in the courts cannot solve Brexit – a political problem
There will not be a third referendum any time soon
Advocates of revocation without a prior referendum need a plan
A4: Improved rules for the conduct of the referendum
The UCL Constitution Unit on 27 September 2018 published an article on the rules under which the referendum might be conducted, including regulating the rôle of government, financial regulations and digital campaigning
The UCL Constitution Unit on 7 March 2019 published a report Doing Democracy Better. They come up with eight practical proposals for improving the conduct of elections and referenda under three themes: confronting misinformation; promoting quality information; and promoting quality discussion.
A5: Article 50 notification may be withdrawn without penalty
The Article 50 ECJ decision: we still need a referendum
We would not lose the existing opt-outs
B: DEALING WITH ARGUMENTS AGAINST A REFERENDUM
B1: "It's a betrayal of 2016"
A referendum on the terms is the honourable course
It's not a betrayal - [arguments against a referendum] and our replies
Explaining why it is not a re-run of 2016: Brexit the plan, not Brexit the idea
B2: "The EU always insists on re-running referenda it does not like"
B3: Problems of our terminology
Vagueness of our demands: is it a referendum we actually want
B4: Parliamentary sovereignty
Parliamentary sovereignty is an overstated argument against a referendum
B5: A referendum would be divisive &c
Even so a people’s vote is the right way forward
How to make the People’s Vote a healing referendum
Addressing the statement that Government had said that the 2016 referendum would be implemented
The UCL Constitution Unit looks at the role a citizens assembly might play also here in an article about how citizens' assemblies could break the Brexit deadlock.
A referendum campaign pledge to honourable conduct
Remain politicians from different parties should agree a process and propose different policies
B6: Would holding a referendum lead the EU to offer a bad deal?
How a referendum would interact with negotiations
C: PRACTICAL ISSUES
C1: Structural questions: what choices and how to run a three-choice referendum
On 13 September 2018 the UCL Constitution Unit published an article considering what choice might be put on the ballot paper.
The most straightforward ballot paper
Three choices on the ballot paper
"Backward induction" - an economist from UK Trade Policy Observatory explains why the referendum on the terms should be held in two rounds, with a further article in the Economist showing the problems of a three way vote and a worked example illustrating how choice of voting method affects the outcome.
A choice only between two variants of Brexit would misunderstand how decisions are made
A 3-way vote is the inevitable consequence of the People’s Vote campaign
The right order of the questions in a three way vote
Would Remainers game a two-stage vote by voting in Round 1 for the least attractive Brexit?
Improving on the proposal by Sam Gyimah MP on how to hold a three-way vote.
C2: How long would it take to hold a referendum?/ how would a referendum be set up by Parliament
On 30 August 2018, the UCL Constitution Unit published a blog addressing how long it would take to hold a referendum
On 20 September 2018 the UCL Constitution Unit published a blog discussing whether the Article 50 time-table could be extended to allow for a referendum
The steps needed for a referendum
On 16 April 2018 the Institute for Government published their analysis of the mechanics of how Parliament would consider the Withdrawal Agreement and Framework for Future Relations. The main discussion of the referendum is on pp24+
On 7 September 2018 the UCL Constitution Unit published an article discussing how a referendum would be set up
On 9 October 2018 the UCL Constitution Unit published the final article in its series setting out five scenarios in which a referendum might be set up and the implications for timing.
On 18 January 2019 the Institute for Government published a note asking what it would take for the EU to extend Article 50 deadline.
After the EU gave a six month extension to October 2019, we published articles on the process to be followed, how that would look with a six month time-table and if we were given a one-year extension.
On 23 April 2019 the UCL Constitution Unit published an article on whether the extension provided enough time for a referendum.
C3: Will the terms be clear enough to allow a vote
A warning about a vague “blah blah blah Brexit”
On 17 September 2018 the Institute for Government published an analysis of the options for the Brexit endgame. Their view of the referendum option – a rather downbeat assessment of whether the terms then available would be clear enough - is set out on pp 10+
What might happen at the Meaningful Parliamentary vote
C4: we should run with the franchise &c from 2016
The 2016 referendum had a valid way of reaching the result
The 2016 referendum was valid and democratic
That the 2016 referendum was “advisory” does not mean it can be set aside
The Alternative Vote referendum was the UK's only legally binding referendum. Looking at it helps to explain why "advisory" does not mean that 2016 can just be set aside.
The 2016 franchise was fair enough
D: UK POLITICS
D1: Lessons from 1975 for the Labour Party
Lessons from 1975 - a referendum avoids a split in the party
E: HOW TO WIN THE REFERENDUM FOR REMAIN
Note: this is just a small selection of our blogs on the case for EU membership. We have a full index to them on the Campaign Materials page.
E1: Getting the Referendum is just the start - we must campaign now to win it
After the march – how to win the referendum
Why it’s still half and half in the opinion polls
Why we are starting 50 points behind where we should be
Campaign on identity or economics?
L4E Vice Chair Nick Hopkinson’s compendium of arguments for Remain
We have to use emotion as well as argument
The referendum campaign must not be a front for any one political party
The case for EU membership: sovereignty, freedom of movement, national identity
We need two campaigns: Remain and referendum
F: HOW TO CAMPAIGN FOR A REFERENDUM
F1: Campaign messages
The best way to obtain support for a referendum is to boost support for Remain
MPs will back a referendum - if they can see that the country backs Remain; what then should that Remain campaign that we start now look like
F2: How to campaign so that your MP supports the referendum
Where does your MP stand on a People's Vote
Go see your MP! - advice on how to set up a meeting
Briefing note for meeting your MP (or any campaign situation, Leavers, uncommitted voters)
Advice on what lands when contacting your MP
The articles listed on this page reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily of London4Europe