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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UK vote on European Union 'will not be on 5 May' | UK vote on European Union 'will not be on 5 May' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The referendum on whether or not the UK should remain in the European Union will not take place on the same day as national and local elections next May. | The referendum on whether or not the UK should remain in the European Union will not take place on the same day as national and local elections next May. |
| Downing Street said ruling out 5 May was a concession to MPs' concerns. | Downing Street said ruling out 5 May was a concession to MPs' concerns. |
| Opponents said it would have "confused the issue" to have the vote on the same day as other elections. | Opponents said it would have "confused the issue" to have the vote on the same day as other elections. |
| The government is also expected to address concerns over the "purdah" period, which restricts campaigning before a referendum is held. | The government is also expected to address concerns over the "purdah" period, which restricts campaigning before a referendum is held. |
| Speaking after an amendment to the EU Referendum Bill ruling the 5 May date was tabled on Monday, the Number 10 spokesman said: "We have listened to the views expressed by MPs across the house and decided that we won't hold the referendum on 5 May 2016." | |
| That date is the same day elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies are being held, along with the London mayoral election. | That date is the same day elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies are being held, along with the London mayoral election. |
| Elections will also be held that day in 126 English local authorities, and all Welsh and Scottish councils. | Elections will also be held that day in 126 English local authorities, and all Welsh and Scottish councils. |
| Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin welcomed the ruling out of the 5 May date, saying it would have "confused the whole issue" holding the referendum on the same day as other major elections. | |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By BBC Newsnight's Allegra Stratton and James Clayton | By BBC Newsnight's Allegra Stratton and James Clayton |
| There had been a move among the prime minister's team to bring the poll forward. | There had been a move among the prime minister's team to bring the poll forward. |
| Downing Street advisers argued that staging the referendum poll on the same day as next year's local and mayoral elections could drive up turnout for the referendum among some of Britain's most pro-European regions. | Downing Street advisers argued that staging the referendum poll on the same day as next year's local and mayoral elections could drive up turnout for the referendum among some of Britain's most pro-European regions. |
| They also wanted the prime minister to stage an early referendum to allow the Conservative party to capitalise on goodwill, after winning its first majority in 23 years. | They also wanted the prime minister to stage an early referendum to allow the Conservative party to capitalise on goodwill, after winning its first majority in 23 years. |
| Eurosceptic MPs were dismayed at the idea, believing the prime minister was trying to rush the process. | Eurosceptic MPs were dismayed at the idea, believing the prime minister was trying to rush the process. |
| Opposition politicians, including the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman Alex Salmond, argued that such an important decision should not be held on the same day as other elections. | Opposition politicians, including the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman Alex Salmond, argued that such an important decision should not be held on the same day as other elections. |
| Read more on this here | Read more on this here |
| Downing Street has also said the government will "seek to address" the concerns of Tory Eurosceptics who have tabled amendments to the EU Referendum Bill to reinstate the "purdah" period. | Downing Street has also said the government will "seek to address" the concerns of Tory Eurosceptics who have tabled amendments to the EU Referendum Bill to reinstate the "purdah" period. |
| Ministers are considering issuing a code of conduct aimed at reassuring rebels that they would not abuse the power of the Whitehall machine during the referendum campaign. | |
| The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 set out a 28-day period ahead of a referendum, during which ministers, government departments and local authorities are banned from publishing material relating to the issue in question. | The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 set out a 28-day period ahead of a referendum, during which ministers, government departments and local authorities are banned from publishing material relating to the issue in question. |
| But Prime Minister David Cameron has said this would mean ministers were barred from speaking about European court decisions and the EU budget. | But Prime Minister David Cameron has said this would mean ministers were barred from speaking about European court decisions and the EU budget. |
| He has also said the government will not be "neutral" when it comes to the in/out referendum. | He has also said the government will not be "neutral" when it comes to the in/out referendum. |
| Public money | Public money |
| Eurosceptic former cabinet minister Owen Paterson said it would be "unacceptable" for the government to use public money to promote a vote to stay in the EU. | Eurosceptic former cabinet minister Owen Paterson said it would be "unacceptable" for the government to use public money to promote a vote to stay in the EU. |
| Mr Jenkin said the existing purdah rules had been applied to every referendum staged in the past 15 years and had been endorsed by both the Electoral Commission and the Committee on Standards in Public Life. | Mr Jenkin said the existing purdah rules had been applied to every referendum staged in the past 15 years and had been endorsed by both the Electoral Commission and the Committee on Standards in Public Life. |
| Timetable to the referendum | Timetable to the referendum |
| 27 May, 2015 | 27 May, 2015 |
| The European Union Referendum Bill was unveiled. This is the UK legislation required to allow the referendum to take place. It is currently being debated by MPs before moving to the House of Lords. It is expected to become law in the Autumn. | The European Union Referendum Bill was unveiled. This is the UK legislation required to allow the referendum to take place. It is currently being debated by MPs before moving to the House of Lords. It is expected to become law in the Autumn. |
| 25-26 June, 2015 | 25-26 June, 2015 |
| The first EU summit after the UK general election takes place. David Cameron has pledged to meet every other EU leader before this date, to try to win support for his proposed reforms. | The first EU summit after the UK general election takes place. David Cameron has pledged to meet every other EU leader before this date, to try to win support for his proposed reforms. |
| 5 May, 2016 | 5 May, 2016 |
| This was regarded as the first possible date for the referendum but it has now been ruled out by ministers. due to opposition to holding it on the same day as other elections, including for London's mayor, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies. | This was regarded as the first possible date for the referendum but it has now been ruled out by ministers. due to opposition to holding it on the same day as other elections, including for London's mayor, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies. |
| 9 June 2016 | 9 June 2016 |
| The UK's first referendum on EU membership, in 1975, was held in early June but this date may come too soon. Mr Cameron has said the timescale should be determined by the renegotiation process. | The UK's first referendum on EU membership, in 1975, was held in early June but this date may come too soon. Mr Cameron has said the timescale should be determined by the renegotiation process. |
| August 2016 | August 2016 |
| Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says he wants to wrap up EU negotiations by the summer of 2016 if possible, and, if not, by the end of 2016. In the context of the EU this is a very tight deadline, particularly if treaty change is triggered by Mr Cameron's demands. Treaty change requires unanimity of all member states and national parliaments - which took 10 years to complete last time around. | Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says he wants to wrap up EU negotiations by the summer of 2016 if possible, and, if not, by the end of 2016. In the context of the EU this is a very tight deadline, particularly if treaty change is triggered by Mr Cameron's demands. Treaty change requires unanimity of all member states and national parliaments - which took 10 years to complete last time around. |
| September 2016 | September 2016 |
| A date in late September would avoid a clash with other elections and meant the poll was held when the weather was still good, which would boost turnout. However, it would clash with the party conference season. | |
| November 2016 | November 2016 |
| A new US president will be elected. The US has made clear that it hopes the UK will remain within the European Union. | A new US president will be elected. The US has made clear that it hopes the UK will remain within the European Union. |
| April-May 2017 | April-May 2017 |
| This would be an obvious choice but is complicated by the fact that French presidential elections are due to take place then. With French President Hollande focusing on getting re-elected, the government will be keen to have its negotiations wrapped up by now. | This would be an obvious choice but is complicated by the fact that French presidential elections are due to take place then. With French President Hollande focusing on getting re-elected, the government will be keen to have its negotiations wrapped up by now. |
| September 2017 | September 2017 |
| This is getting tight now, with David Cameron having pledged to hold the poll by the end of 2017. There are also German parliamentary elections taking place this month. | This is getting tight now, with David Cameron having pledged to hold the poll by the end of 2017. There are also German parliamentary elections taking place this month. |
| End of 2017 | End of 2017 |
| The referendum must be held by the end of 2017. Should there be a No vote, the UK will not leave the EU immediately. There will be a transitional period, potentially lasting several years, during which the terms of exit will be negotiated. | The referendum must be held by the end of 2017. Should there be a No vote, the UK will not leave the EU immediately. There will be a transitional period, potentially lasting several years, during which the terms of exit will be negotiated. |
| "I think the government has been very badly advised on the date and on this," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. | |
| "If they had accepted the Electoral Commission's advice on purdah we would not be in this mess. The Electoral Commission thinks the purdah period should be longer than 28 days. | |
| "The government thinks they should be able to use their civil servants and their press officers and their special advisers to support their activities...These are rules that the government is scrapping and people will think they are trying to rig the whole playing field." | "The government thinks they should be able to use their civil servants and their press officers and their special advisers to support their activities...These are rules that the government is scrapping and people will think they are trying to rig the whole playing field." |
| Downing Street said Mr Cameron wanted the ability to publish material but was not seeking to "overly influence" the outcome of the campaign. | Downing Street said Mr Cameron wanted the ability to publish material but was not seeking to "overly influence" the outcome of the campaign. |
| Labour said there were "not in the same position" as Tory rebels over the issue but did want "clarity" about how the government would operate during the referendum period. | |
| Last week, MPs overwhelmingly backed plans for a referendum, allowing the legislation to move to the next stage of its progress through Parliament. It still has several more stages to pass through, however. | Last week, MPs overwhelmingly backed plans for a referendum, allowing the legislation to move to the next stage of its progress through Parliament. It still has several more stages to pass through, however. |
| It enters its Committee stage on Tuesday, during which it will be debated in detail by the whole of the House of Commons. | It enters its Committee stage on Tuesday, during which it will be debated in detail by the whole of the House of Commons. |
| EU referendum in focus | EU referendum in focus |
| David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: | David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: |
| Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum | Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum |
| UK and the EU: Better off out or in? | UK and the EU: Better off out or in? |
| What Britain wants from Europe | What Britain wants from Europe |
| Timeline: EU referendum debate | Timeline: EU referendum debate |