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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: Petition for second EU referendum rejected | Brexit: Petition for second EU referendum rejected |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has rejected a petition signed by more than 4.1 million people calling for a second EU referendum. | The government has rejected a petition signed by more than 4.1 million people calling for a second EU referendum. |
| An email to those who signed the petition said the prime minister and government had "been clear that this was a once in a generation vote". | An email to those who signed the petition said the prime minister and government had "been clear that this was a once in a generation vote". |
| It said the decision "must be respected", adding: "We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU". | It said the decision "must be respected", adding: "We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU". |
| The UK voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% in last month's referendum. | The UK voted to leave the EU by 52% to 48% in last month's referendum. |
| 'Going to stick' | |
| It comes as US President Barack Obama said he believed the UK would quit the European Union despite speculation the vote for Brexit could somehow be reversed. | |
| "I think we have to assume that a referendum having been passed with a lot of attention, a lengthy campaign and relatively high participation rates is going to stick," he told a news conference at the end of a Nato summit in Warsaw. | |
| The online petition gained more signatures than any other on the parliamentary website in the wake of the vote on 23 June. | |
| It stated it was set up by William Oliver Healey and called for the government to hold a second referendum because less than 60% of the vote was in favour of Brexit and the turnout was below 75%. | It stated it was set up by William Oliver Healey and called for the government to hold a second referendum because less than 60% of the vote was in favour of Brexit and the turnout was below 75%. |
| In its official response to signatories, the Foreign Office said the law which set the rules for the referendum did not specify minimum conditions on turnout or margin of victory. | In its official response to signatories, the Foreign Office said the law which set the rules for the referendum did not specify minimum conditions on turnout or margin of victory. |
| 'Press the government' | 'Press the government' |
| It added that the referendum was "one of the biggest democratic exercises in British history with over 33 million people having their say". | It added that the referendum was "one of the biggest democratic exercises in British history with over 33 million people having their say". |
| The email said the petition would be considered for a debate by the Petitions Committee because it had received more than 100,000 signatures. | The email said the petition would be considered for a debate by the Petitions Committee because it had received more than 100,000 signatures. |
| The committee is made up of 11 cross-party MPs and "almost always" debates petitions which reach 100,000 signatures. | The committee is made up of 11 cross-party MPs and "almost always" debates petitions which reach 100,000 signatures. |
| It previously investigated the petition for fraud, removing 77,000 signatures which were found to be false. | It previously investigated the petition for fraud, removing 77,000 signatures which were found to be false. |
| The referendum saw 17.4 million (51.9%) votes cast to leave the EU, compared with 16.1 million (48.1%) for remain, with a turnout of 72.2%, according to the Electoral Commission. | The referendum saw 17.4 million (51.9%) votes cast to leave the EU, compared with 16.1 million (48.1%) for remain, with a turnout of 72.2%, according to the Electoral Commission. |