Petition · Cabinet Office
Explain how the EU advisory referendum became a decision
Closed
300 signatures
What the petition asks
The 2016 referendum was advisory, that point was put beyond question by the Supreme Court judgment.
We consider that an advisory referendum is an expression of opinion, it is not a declaration of will.
We cannot see any democratic pathway that enables that opinion to become a decision.
We consider that an advisory referendum is an expression of opinion, it is not a declaration of will.
We cannot see any democratic pathway that enables that opinion to become a decision.
The Prime Minister decreed, in a pamphlet distributed to every household, that the referendum would be the decision, and reiterated that in his speech from Chatham House where he almost literally commanded the people to do the job that we keep parliament for, but there are no reasonable grounds to imagine that anyone believed the decree nor obeyed his orders.
There appears to be no democratic basis for the referendum becoming a decision.
The government must explain how it happened."
There appears to be no democratic basis for the referendum becoming a decision.
The government must explain how it happened."
Timeline
| 11 Aug 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 11 Feb 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
300
Status
Closed
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
11 Aug 2025
Closed
11 Feb 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 6 Aug 2026.