Petition · past parliament
All parliamentary votes on Brexit must be free votes.
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
Brexit is an issue of unique importance for our country's future which should transcend party politics, yet MPs are being whipped to support the party line. This is not only inappropriate in this context, it amounts to an order to them to put party before country. This is totally unacceptable.
Free voting is traditionally allowed on matters of conscience. Given the unprecedented importance of Brexit and its fundamentally irreversible nature, it should be treated as a matter of conscience. MPs should be given a free vote and allowed to fulfil their primary duty, which is to use their best judgement to act in the best interests of the country and their constituents.
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
Decisions about whipping are the responsibility of the political parties, not the UK Government or Parliament.
Timeline
| 26 Nov 2017 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 29 Nov 2017 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
29 Nov 2017
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.