Questions over Campaign Conduct
by John Dell
It seems that the more we hear about the EU Referendum in June 2016, the more questions arise about the conduct of the campaign.
Serious doubts have been raised about the financing of three of the Leave campaigns, and the improper use of data to target voters. The Electoral Commission has fined those campaigns but now, belatedly, as if to emphasise these events, it has referred two members of one of the campaigns to the National Crime Agency because the Commission suspects multiple criminal offences have taken place.
Furthermore there are also clear links between major players in the Leave campaign and other political campaigns including that of the US Presidential Election.
The interference in the latter election is currently being very actively investigated by Robert Mueller and charges have been laid against key political figures involved in both the Leave campaign and the US Presidential election.
To quote the Conservative MP Phillip Lee: “The more we hear about the risks of Brexit and the way it was sold to the public by people who had little or no interest in the truth, or following rules, the stronger the case for suspending or revoking Article 50 until all of these irregularities are cleared up.”
If the UK leaves the EU as a consequence of a Referendum which, at best, has been discredited and at worst, was fraudulent, then it must also seriously harm and de-stabilise our own democracy. How can it do otherwise if the proposed major constitutional change which the Referendum represents continues to be pursued despite clear evidence of illegality?
The Government and Parliament seem to have accepted the result despite these doubts. Perhaps a little unfortunate given that they are supposed to uphold the rules of law.
Surely if the political process is to continue then either: 1. The disputed Referendum must be re-run in the same format as it was in 2016 with far more care taken to monitor the process; or 2. another Referendum must be run to determine whether the country accepts the negotiated deal being pursued by Theresa May, or whether it wishes to remain in the EU.
If this does not occur, the result of the Referendum, close as it is, will always be in doubt, and our democracy will be tainted and devalued.
Conversely, option two above, “The People’s Vote”, can perhaps help to save a devalued Referendum and with it, our democracy.