European Union (Referendum) Bill — Wording of Referendum Question — 24 Jan 2014 at 12:30

The majority of members of the House of Lords voted in favour of the question for the referendum of the UK's membership of the EU being "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" rather than "Do you think that the United Kingdom should be a member of the European Union?"

Members of the House of Lords were considering the European Union (Referendum) Bill^[1] The amendment accepted in this vote was:

• Amendment 1: Clause 1, page 1, line 2, leave out subsection (1) and insert:

“(1) A referendum is to be held with the question— “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” appearing on the ballot papers.”

at the time of the vote subsection (1) stated:

• A referendum is to be held on the United Kingdom’s membership of the

European Union.

Subsection (4) stated:

• The question that is to appear on the ballot papers is— “Do you think that the United Kingdom should be a member of the European Union?”

As the approved amendment alone would have left the Bill containing two different questions presumably the intent would have been to make a consequential amendment removing subsection (4). Amendment 28^[2] would in-fact have had such an effect and it was subsequently agreed without a vote^[3].

• [1] Parliament's webpage on the European Union (Referendum) Bill
• [2] Amendment sheet for Lords consideration of the European Union (Referendum) Bill from 23 January 2014
• [3] Official Record, House of Lords, 24 January 2014

Debate in Parliament | Source |