In contrast to the undemocratic image of the EU portrayed by referendum campaigners, it is a little known fact that every single citizen of the European Union can directly petition the European Parliament and be heard. There is no minimum signatory requirement and every petition will be responded to.

The following petition is therefore being sent directly to the EU Chairman of the Petitions Committee, and is also being filed through the European Parliament petitions portal, where you can express additional support.

In light of Articles 10, 11 and 50 of the Treaty On European Union, and in accordance with Article 227 of the Treaty On The Functioning of The European Union, the undersigned hereby request that the Union requires the United Kingdom government to conduct a more rigorous domestic consultation, consisting of a second referendum, a parliamentary vote, or similar, before any application for withdrawal from the Union is entertained.

This appeal is made on the grounds that:

1) The manner in which the domestic referendum campaign was conducted was in stark contrast to the spirit of transparency and democracy advocated by Articles 10 and 11 to which the United Kingdom is a signatory, in that government members engaged in gross and active misrepresentation of the nature of the European Union and the rights of citizens and obligations of states within it.

2) It remains highly plausible that the majority of United Kingdom citizens do not presently support such a withdrawal. This is on the basis that:

• Less than 38% of politically active citizens expressed support for a withdrawal in the referendum.
• A substantial and unknown number of citizens initially supporting a withdrawal have since publicly expressed that they no longer support one.
• A domestic petition to hold a second referendum with higher turnout and majority requirements has gained unprecedented support.

3) In light of the above it is plausible that a move to withdraw from the European Union without further democratic consultation would be overturned by a successive government within a short timeframe or challenged in the domestic courts and rendered effectively unconstitutional, thereby placing it at odds with the basic requirement of Article 50. Given the practical difficulties of reversing withdrawal proceedings following such a challenge, and the enormous impact on Union citizens from across the United Kingdom and other member states, we hold it critical that a more robust mandate is obtained at the present stage.