69-793: The River Carey is a small river in West Devon that is a tributary to the River Tamar . The Carey rises in the Halwill Moor Plantation in Carey Valley, Halwill , flows south-west past Quoditch and Ashwater before flowing a southern course near Virginstow , then finally flowing into the River Tamar near the civil parish of St Stephens by Launceston Rural . 50°38′45″N 4°19′41″W / 50.6459°N 4.3280°W / 50.6459; -4.3280 This article related to
138-424: A Vote Leave supporter to say that the council was unable to check whether the nationality that people stated on their voting registration form was true, and hence that they simply had to assume that the information that was submitted was, indeed, correct. 3,462 EU nationals were wrongly sent postal voting cards, due to an IT issue experienced by Xpress, an electoral software supplier to a number of councils. Xpress
207-526: A free vote for ministers. In an exception to the usual rule of cabinet collective responsibility , Cameron allowed cabinet ministers to campaign publicly for EU withdrawal. A Government-backed campaign was launched in April. On 16 June, all official national campaigning was suspended until 19 June following the murder of Jo Cox . After internal polls suggested that 85% of the UK population wanted more information about
276-573: A command paper and agreed by both Houses. Following the 2016 referendum, the High Court confirmed that the result was not legally binding, owing to the constitutional principles of parliamentary sovereignty and representative democracy, and the legislation authorising the referendum did not contain clear words to the contrary. Research by the Electoral Commission confirmed that its recommended question "was clear and straightforward for voters, and
345-750: A further transfer of powers from the UK to the EU were to be proposed. In their manifesto for the 2015 general election, the Liberal Democrats pledged to hold an in-out referendum only in the event of there being a change in the EU treaties. The UK Independence Party (UKIP), the British National Party (BNP), the Green Party , the Democratic Unionist Party and the Respect Party all supported
414-639: A member of, or leave, the European Union (EU). The result was a vote in favour of leaving the EU, triggering calls to begin the process of the country's withdrawal from the EU commonly termed " Brexit ". Since 1973 , the UK had been a member state of the EU and its predecessor the European Communities (principally the European Economic Community ), along with other international bodies. The constitutional implications of membership for
483-467: A referendum on whether the UK should remain in or leave the EU. The Conservative Party published a draft EU Referendum Bill in May 2013, and outlined its plans for renegotiation followed by an in-out vote (i.e. a referendum giving options only of leaving and of remaining in under the current terms, or under new terms if these had become available), were the party to be re-elected in 2015. The draft Bill stated that
552-584: A referendum to be held on the question of the UK's continued membership of the European Union (EU) before the end of 2017. It did not contain any requirement for the UK Government to implement the results of the referendum. Instead, it was designed to gauge the electorate's opinion on EU membership. The referendums held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1997 and 1998 are examples of this type, where opinion
621-562: A river in England is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . West Devon West Devon is a local government district with borough status in Devon , England . Its council is based in Tavistock , the borough's largest town. The borough also includes the towns of Hatherleigh , North Tawton and Okehampton , along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. A large area in
690-531: A sample of the actual ballot paper, and a whole page each was given to the campaign groups Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave to present their case. The Vote Leave campaign argued that if the UK left the EU, national sovereignty would be protected, immigration controls could be imposed, and the UK would be able to sign trade deals with the rest of the world. The UK would also be able to stop membership payments to
759-564: A second reading in a half-hour long debate in the chamber on 26 October 2012, but did not progress any further. In January 2013, Cameron delivered the Bloomberg speech and promised that, should the Conservatives win a parliamentary majority at the 2015 general election , the British government would negotiate more favourable arrangements for continuing British membership of the EU, before holding
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#1732877248115828-510: A second referendum should the result be a remain win closer than 52–48%, because the leaflet meant that the remain side had been permitted to spend more money than the leave side. In the week beginning on 16 May, the Electoral Commission sent a voting guide regarding the referendum to every household within the UK and Gibraltar to raise awareness of the upcoming referendum. The eight-page guide contained details on how to vote, as well as
897-584: A sliding scale for four years and would be for new immigrants only; before they could be applied, a country would have to get permission from the European Council . Child benefit payments could still be made overseas, but these would be linked to the cost of living in the other country. On sovereignty, the UK was reassured that it would not be required to participate in "ever closer union"; these reassurances were "in line with existing EU law". Cameron's demand to allow national parliaments to veto proposed EU laws
966-521: A so-called "emergency brake", which would have allowed the UK to withhold social benefits to new immigrants for the first four years after they arrived; this brake could have been applied for a period of seven years. That offer was still on the table at the time of the Brexit referendum, but expired when the vote determined that the UK would leave the EU. Cameron claimed that "he could have avoided Brexit had European leaders let him control migration", according to
1035-619: A third tier of local government. In the parts of the borough within the Dartmoor National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the Dartmoor National Park Authority . The borough council appoints two of its councillors to serve on the 19-person National Park Authority. The council has been under no overall control since the 2023 election , being led by a coalition of the independent councillors, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour. The first election to
1104-629: Is defined by the legislation as limited to residents of the United Kingdom who were either also Commonwealth citizens under Section 37 of the British Nationality Act 1981 (which include British citizens and other British nationals ), or those who were also citizens of the Republic of Ireland , or both. Members of the House of Lords , who could not vote in general elections, were able to vote in
1173-473: Is divided into civil parishes . The parishes councils for Hatherleigh, North Tawton, Okehampton and Tavistock take the style "town council". The small parish of Kelly has a parish meeting rather than a parish council. West Devon has been twinned with Wesseling , Germany since 1983. 50°38′N 4°06′W / 50.633°N 4.100°W / 50.633; -4.100 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum Withdrawal of
1242-594: The Financial Times . However, Angela Merkel said that the offer had not been made by the EU. Merkel stated in the German Parliament: "If you wish to have free access to the single market then you have to accept the fundamental European rights as well as obligations that come from it. This is as true for Great Britain as for anybody else." The planned referendum was included in the Queen's Speech on 27 May 2015. It
1311-502: The 2015 general election as a main manifesto pledge, the legal basis for the EU referendum was established through the European Union Referendum Act 2015 . Prime Minister David Cameron also oversaw a renegotiation of the terms of EU membership , intending to implement these changes in the event of a Remain result. The referendum was legally non-binding due to the ancient principle of parliamentary sovereignty , although
1380-563: The 2023 election and subsequent by-elections in June 2023 and May 2024, the composition of the council was: The independent councillors, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour sit together as the "West Devon Alliance" group, which forms the council's administration. The next election is due in 2027. Since the last boundary changes in 2015, the council has comprised 31 councillors representing 18 wards , with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. In
1449-593: The EU referendum of 2016 , the majority of voters in West Devon voted to leave the European Union (18,937 to 16,658, that is 53.2% to 46.8%). The turnout was 81.25%. The borough straddles the constituencies of Central Devon and Torridge and West Devon . The council is based at Kilworthy Park in Tavistock, being a modern office built on the site of the goods yard of the old Tavistock North railway station . The whole borough
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#17328772481151518-529: The Fixed-term Parliament Act . Cameron refused this request, saying people were able to make up their own minds in multiple elections spaced at least six weeks from each other. On 20 February 2016, Cameron announced that the UK Government would formally recommend to the British people that the UK should remain a member of a reformed European Union and that the referendum would be held on 23 June, marking
1587-660: The Scottish National Party voting against. In contrast to the Labour Party's position prior to the 2015 general election under Miliband, acting Labour leader Harriet Harman committed her party to supporting plans for an EU referendum by 2017, a position maintained by elected leader Jeremy Corbyn . To enable the referendum to take place, the European Union Referendum Act was passed by the Parliament of
1656-575: The United Kingdom from the European Union The 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum , commonly referred to as the EU referendum or the Brexit referendum , was a referendum that took place on 23 June 2016 in the United Kingdom (UK) and Gibraltar under the provisions of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 to ask the electorate whether the country should continue to remain
1725-875: The Welsh Parliament , or the Gibraltar Parliament at the time of the referendum. Among minor parties, the Socialist Labour Party , the Communist Party of Britain , Britain First , the British National Party (BNP), Éirígí [Ireland], the Respect Party , the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), the Social Democratic Party , the Liberal Party , Independence from Europe , and
1794-586: The dissolution of parliament on 27 March 2015. At the European Parliament election in 2014 , the UK Independence Party (UKIP) secured more votes and more seats than any other party, the first time a party other than the Conservatives or Labour had topped a nationwide poll in 108 years, leaving the Conservatives in third place. Under Ed Miliband 's leadership between 2010 and 2015, the Labour Party ruled out an in-out referendum unless and until
1863-632: The Commons in November 2013, and was then introduced to the House of Lords in December 2013, where members voted to block the bill. Conservative MP Bob Neill then introduced an Alternative Referendum Bill to the Commons. After a debate on 17 October 2014, it passed to the Public Bills Committee , but because the Commons failed to pass a money resolution , the bill was unable to progress further before
1932-467: The Conservative Party". Regarding the ability of the bill to bind the UK Government in the 2015–20 Parliament (which indirectly, as a result of the referendum itself, proved to last only two years) to holding such a referendum, a parliamentary research paper noted that: The Bill simply provides for a referendum on continued EU membership by the end of December 2017 and does not otherwise specify
2001-547: The EU and in the UK's relationship with it. These were: additional immigration controls, especially for citizens of new EU member states; tougher immigration rules for present EU citizens; new powers for national parliaments collectively to veto proposed EU laws; new free-trade agreements and a reduction in bureaucracy for businesses; a lessening of the influence of the European Court of Human Rights on British police and courts; more power for individual member states, and less for
2070-534: The EU every week. The Britain Stronger in Europe campaign argued that leaving the European Union would damage the UK economy, and that the status of the UK as a world influence was hinged upon its membership. The tables list political parties with representation in the House of Commons or the House of Lords , the European Parliament , the Scottish Parliament , the Northern Ireland Assembly ,
2139-606: The EU that sought to become the official Leave campaign: Leave.EU (which was endorsed by most of UKIP , including Nigel Farage ), and Vote Leave (endorsed by Conservative Party Eurosceptics). In January 2016, Nigel Farage and the Leave.EU campaign became part of the Grassroots Out movement, which was borne out of infighting between Vote Leave and Leave.EU campaigners. In April, the Electoral Commission announced that Britain Stronger in Europe and Vote Leave were to be designated as
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2208-581: The European Union or leave the European Union? with the responses to the question (to be marked with a single (X)): Remain a member of the European Union Leave the European Union and in Welsh : A ddylai'r Deyrnas Unedig aros yn aelod o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd neu adael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd? with the responses (to be marked with a single (X)): Aros yn aelod o'r Undeb Ewropeaidd Gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd Prior to being officially announced, it
2277-509: The Leave campaign, including the Conservative MP Sir Gerald Howarth , criticised the government's decision to extend the deadline, alleging it gave Remain an advantage because many late registrants were young people who were considered to be more likely to vote for Remain. According to provisional figures from the Electoral Commission, almost 46.5 million people were eligible to vote. Nottingham City Council emailed
2346-454: The Leave result have been the subject of analysis and commentary. Immediately after the result , financial markets reacted negatively worldwide, and Cameron announced that he would resign as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party , which he did in July. The referendum prompted an array of international reactions . Jeremy Corbyn faced a Labour Party leadership challenge as a result of
2415-481: The Republic of Ireland, of Malta , or of the Republic of Cyprus . The Representation of the People Acts 1983 (1983 c. 2) and 1985 (1985 c. 50) , as amended, also permit certain British citizens (but not other British nationals), who had once lived in the United Kingdom, but had since and in the meantime lived outside of the United Kingdom, but for a period of no more than 15 years, to vote. Voting on
2484-602: The UK became a topic of debate domestically particularly regarding sovereignty. A referendum on continued membership of the European Communities (EC) to try and settle the issue was held in 1975, resulting in the UK remaining a member. Between 1975 and 2016 as European integration deepened, subsequent EC/EU treaties and agreements were ratified by the UK Parliament . Following the Conservative Party 's victory at
2553-421: The United Kingdom for the purpose of European Union (and European Economic Area (EEA)) membership (as is the case with Gibraltar), would also have been significantly affected by the outcome and impact of the referendum. In October 2015, Britain Stronger in Europe , a cross-party group campaigning for Britain to remain a member of the EU, was formed. There were two rival groups promoting British withdrawal from
2622-608: The United Kingdom. It extended to include and take legislative effect in Gibraltar , and received royal assent on 17 December 2015. The Act was, in turn, confirmed, enacted and implemented in Gibraltar by the European Union (Referendum) Act 2016 (Gibraltar) , which was passed by the Gibraltar Parliament and entered into law upon receiving the assent of the Governor of Gibraltar on 28 January 2016. The European Union Referendum Act required
2691-686: The United Kingdom’s relationship with Europe were held and successive British governments integrated further into the European project, which gained focus when the Maastricht Treaty established the European Union (EU) in 1993, which incorporated (and after the Lisbon Treaty , succeeded) the European Communities. At the May 2012 NATO summit meeting , UK Prime Minister David Cameron , Foreign Secretary William Hague and Ed Llewellyn discussed
2760-479: The central EU; and abandonment of the EU notion of "ever closer union". He intended to bring these about during a series of negotiations with other EU leaders and then, if re-elected, to announce a referendum. In November that year, Cameron gave an update on the negotiations and further details of his aims. The key demands made of the EU were: on economic governance, to recognise officially that Eurozone laws would not necessarily apply to non-Eurozone EU members and
2829-411: The council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in West Devon. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council . The leaders since 2011 have been: Following
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2898-597: The day of the referendum was from 0700 to 2200 BST ( WEST ) (0700 to 2200 CEST in Gibraltar) in some 41,000 polling stations staffed by over 100,000 poll workers . Each polling station was specified to have no more than 2,500 registered voters. Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 2000 , postal ballots were also permitted in the referendum and were sent out to eligible voters some three weeks ahead of
2967-429: The government promised to implement the result. Official campaigning took place between 15 April and 23 June 2016. The official group for remaining in the EU was Britain Stronger in Europe while Vote Leave was the official group endorsing leaving. Other campaign groups, political parties, businesses, trade unions, newspapers and prominent individuals were also involved, with both sides having supporters from across
3036-618: The idea of using a European Union referendum as a concession to the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party. On 20 June 2012, a three-clause private member's bill was introduced into the House of Commons by the then Eurosceptic MP Douglas Carswell to end the United Kingdom’s EU membership and repeal the European Communities Act 1972, but without containing any commitment to the holding of any referendum. It received
3105-657: The issue. Campaign issues included the costs and benefits of membership for the UK's economy, freedom of movement and migration. Several allegations of unlawful campaigning and Russian interference arose during and after the referendum. The results recorded 51.9% of the votes cast being in favour of leaving. Most areas of England and Wales had a majority for Leave, and the majority of voters in Scotland , Northern Ireland , Greater London and Gibraltar chose Remain. Voter preference correlated with age, level of education and socioeconomic factors. The causes and reasoning of
3174-588: The latter would not have to bail out troubled Eurozone economies; on competitiveness, to expand the single market and to set a target for the reduction of bureaucracy for businesses; on sovereignty, for the UK to be legally exempted from "ever closer union" and for national parliaments to be able collectively to veto proposed EU laws; and, on immigration, for EU citizens going to the UK for work to be unable to claim social housing or in-work benefits until they had worked there for four years, and for them to be unable to send child benefit payments overseas. The outcome of
3243-481: The new system of voting without further legislation, provided that the boundary changes also provided for in the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 were also implemented. In the event, there was a substantial majority against any change. The 1975 referendum was held after the re-negotiated terms of the UK's EC membership had been agreed by all EC Member States, and the terms set out in
3312-407: The official launch of the campaign. He also announced that Parliament would enact secondary legislation on 22 February relating to the European Union Referendum Act 2015. With the official launch, ministers of the UK Government were then free to campaign on either side of the argument in a rare exception to Cabinet collective responsibility . The right to vote in the referendum in the United Kingdom
3381-506: The official remain and leave campaigns respectively. This gave them the right to spend up to £7,000,000, a free mailshot, TV broadcasts and £600,000 in public funds. The UK Government's official position was to support the Remain campaign. Nevertheless, Cameron announced that Conservative Ministers and MPs were free to campaign in favour of remaining in the EU or leaving it, according to their conscience. This decision came after mounting pressure for
3450-441: The political spectrum. Parties in favour of remaining included Labour , the Liberal Democrats , the Scottish National Party , Plaid Cymru and the Green Party ; while the UK Independence Party campaigned in favour of leaving; and the Conservative Party remained neutral. In spite of the Conservative and Labour Party's official positions, both parties allowed their Members of Parliament to publicly campaign for either side of
3519-421: The principle of a referendum. When the Conservative Party won a majority of seats in the House of Commons at the 2015 general election , Cameron reiterated his party's manifesto commitment to hold an in-out referendum on UK membership of the EU by the end of 2017, but only after "negotiating a new settlement for Britain in the EU". In early 2014, David Cameron outlined the changes he aimed to bring about in
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#17328772481153588-460: The referendum from the government, a leaflet was sent to every household in the UK. It contained details about why the government believed the UK should remain in the EU. This leaflet was criticised by those wanting to leave as giving the remain side an unfair advantage; it was also described as being inaccurate and a waste of taxpayers' money (it cost £9.3m in total). During the campaign, Nigel Farage suggested that there would be public demand for
3657-426: The referendum had to be held no later than 31 December 2017. The draft legislation was taken forward as a Private member's bill by Conservative MP James Wharton which was known as the European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013 . The bill's First Reading in the House of Commons took place on 19 June 2013. Cameron was said by a spokesperson to be "very pleased" and would ensure the Bill was given "the full support of
3726-450: The referendum unless they were also previous residents of the United Kingdom (that is: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Some residents of the Isle of Man protested that they, as full British citizens under the British Nationality Act 1981 and living within the British Islands , should also have been given the opportunity to vote in the referendum, as the Isle and the Bailiwicks, although not included as if they were part of
3795-403: The referendum. In 2017, the UK gave formal notice of intent to withdraw from the EU, with the withdrawal being formalised in 2020. The European Communities were formed in the 1950s – the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952, and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) and European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. The EEC, the more ambitious of
3864-434: The referendum. The electorate of 46,500,001 represented 70.8% of the population of 65,678,000 ( UK and Gibraltar ). Other than the residents of Gibraltar, British Overseas Territories Citizens residing in the British Overseas Territories were unable to vote in the referendum. Residents of the United Kingdom who were citizens of other EU countries were not allowed to vote unless they were citizens (or were also citizens) of
3933-460: The renegotiations was announced in February 2016. The renegotiated terms were in addition to the United Kingdom's existing opt-outs in the European Union and the UK rebate . The significance of the changes to the EU-UK agreement was contested and speculated upon, with none of the changes considered fundamental, but some considered important to many British people. Some limits to in-work benefits for EU immigrants were agreed, but these would apply on
4002-425: The same time: The new district was named West Devon, reflecting its location within the wider county. On 27 April 1982 the district was awarded borough status, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor. West Devon Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Devon County Council . The whole borough is also covered by civil parishes , which form
4071-500: The scope of free movement rights, third country nationals who had no prior lawful residence in a Member State before marrying a Union citizen" and to make it easier for member states to deport EU nationals for public policy or public security reasons. The extent to which the various parts of the agreement would be legally binding is complex; no part of the agreement itself changed EU law, but some parts could be enforceable in international law. The EU had reportedly offered David Cameron
4140-435: The south-east of the borough lies within the Dartmoor National Park , and part of the south-west of the borough lies within the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The neighbouring districts are Torridge , Mid Devon , Teignbridge , South Hams and Cornwall . The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 , covering the area of three former districts which were all abolished at
4209-402: The three, came to be known as the "Common Market". The UK first applied to join them in 1961, but this was vetoed by France. A later application was successful, and the UK joined in 1973; two years later, a national referendum on continuing EC membership resulted in 67.2% voting “Yes” in favour of continued membership, on a 64.6% national turnout. However, no further referendums on the issue of
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#17328772481154278-433: The timing, other than requiring the Secretary of State to bring forward orders by the end of 2016. [...] If no party obtained a majority at the [next general election due in 2015], there might be some uncertainty about the passage of the orders in the next Parliament. The bill received its Second Reading on 5 July 2013, passing by 304 votes to none after almost all Labour MPs and all Liberal Democrat MPs abstained, cleared
4347-491: The vote (2 June 2016). The minimum age for voters in the referendum was set to 18 years, in line with the Representation of the People Act, as amended. A House of Lords amendment proposing to lower the minimum age to 16 years was rejected. The deadline to register to vote was initially midnight on 7 June 2016; however, this was extended by 48 hours owing to technical problems with the official registration website on 7 June, caused by unusually high web traffic. Some supporters of
4416-415: Was initially unable to confirm the exact number of those affected. The matter was resolved by the issuance of a software patch which rendered the wrongly recorded electors ineligible to vote on 23 June. Residents of the Crown Dependencies (which are not part of the United Kingdom), namely the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey , even if they were British citizens, were excluded from
4485-400: Was modified to allow national parliaments collectively to object to proposed EU laws, in which case the European Council would reconsider the proposal before itself deciding what to do. On economic governance, anti-discrimination regulations for non-Eurozone members would be reinforced, but they would be unable to veto any legislation. The final two areas covered were proposals to "exclude from
4554-408: Was suggested at the time that Cameron was planning to hold the referendum in October 2016, but the European Union Referendum Act 2015, which authorised it, went before the House of Commons the following day, just three weeks after the election. On the bill's second reading on 9 June, members of the House of Commons voted by 544 to 53 in favour, endorsing the principle of holding a referendum, with only
4623-421: Was tested before legislation was introduced. The UK does not have constitutional provisions which would require the results of a referendum to be implemented , unlike, for example, the Republic of Ireland , where the circumstances in which a binding referendum should be held are set out in its constitution . In contrast, the legislation that provided for the referendum held on AV in May 2011 would have implemented
4692-399: Was the most neutral wording from the range of options ... considered and tested", citing responses to its consultation by a diverse range of consultees. The proposed question was accepted by the government in September 2015, shortly before the bill's third reading. The question that appeared on ballot papers in the referendum under the Act was: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of
4761-450: Was widely speculated that a June date for the referendum was a serious possibility. The First Ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales co-signed a letter to Cameron on 3 February 2016 asking him not to hold the referendum in June, as devolved elections were scheduled to take place the previous month on 5 May. These elections had been postponed for a year to avoid a clash with the 2015 general election, after Westminster had implemented
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