1. Here is a fact check of Royston Smith's statement “All political parties promised to honour the result of the 2016 EU referendum.” because that’s the first I’d heard of this, and it is, as Royston says, ‘a question of honesty’.
2. Firstly, let’s look at what everyone was told. Starting with the year 2015: Enter Dominic Cummings “a NO vote would not mean that we had, or immediately would, leave.” - 23/06/2015 
3. Tim Shipman: Johnson has told friends that a “no” vote is desirable because it would prompt Brussels to offer a much better deal, which the public could then support in a second referendum. – 28/06/2015
4. Matthew Elliot: “We could either stay in a properly reformed EU or, if efforts at full Treaty change fail, decide to gain influence and prosper from outside” - 15/07/2015
5. Simon Jenkins: The new treaty would be put, as is customary in the EU, to a second referendum” – 14/10/2015
6. Matthew Parris: “If Britain votes to leave, there will have to be a second referendum to relent on the first decision. Dominic, you were right.” – 17/10/2015
7. Bernard Jenkin: “Legally it’s just an advisory referendum – it puts the ball back into the government party’s court. [It is for them] to decide how to respond to a no-vote”. – 02/11/2015
8. As we enter the year of the referendum we find out that Bill Cash believes that even if the Leave side lost, the struggle would continue and he believes it is deep in the British psyche to resist outsiders who want to tell us what to do. – 16/01/2016
9. The Constitution Unit: So these authors are suggesting a referendum to choose between leaving on the negotiated terms of not leaving at all. – 19/01/2016
10. Notable he (Dominic Cummings) asserted that: there is a “strong democratic case” for a second referendum on the final terms of Brexit if the first vote is for Out. – 21/01/2016
11. Dominic Cummings: What we need to do is have a serious negotiation with the EU where we end the supremacy of EU law, do a trade deal, adopt sensible rules on free movement, and then give the British people another say. – 21/01/2016
12. In this scenario the UK votes to Leave the EU, then negotiates the best relationship it can. This deal is then put to a second referendum. – 27/01/2016
13. Boris Johnson: There is only one way to get the change we need, and that is to vote to go, because all EU history shows that they only listen to a population when it says No. - 21/02/2016
14. Tim Loughton: There will be absolutely no prospect of a re-vote until we get it right as Ireland and France had to be suckered into doing. - 21/02/2016 (France revote…)
15. Alastair Irvine: Lastly, in the event of a decision to leave we must not exclude the possibility of a second referendum! - 23/02/2016 (Hannan gets around, doesn’t he?)
16. Iain Duncan Smith suggests people should consider this vote binding and there is no plan for a second referendum but governments can change things if they wish. – 23/02/2016
17. Michael Howard: “I think it’s quite likely in that during that month they would say ‘Let’s talk some more. Let’s see if we can reach a different agreement, and perhaps we you could have a second referendum”. – 26/02/2016
18. According to Professor (Anand) Menon, attitudes are such that we can expect a second referendum if the result of the first is to remain in the EU. – 15/03/2016
19. The government deliver this document that says it’s a once in a generation decision and they will implement the result. In theory talk of second referendums, or continuing to argue the case, stop now.. *If* this page had a significant impact during the campaign. 06/04/2016
20. David Davis suggests if there is a vote to Remain it will become a neverendum. “It’s going to come back” – 17/04/2016.
21. Eurosceptics have a theory that Michael Gove secretly want to hold a second referendum. – 19/04/2016
22. Cummings refused to rule out the prospect of there being a second referendum if Britain votes to leave the EU. - 20/04/2016
23. Once notice is given, negotiations would begin over the withdrawal. During this period the notice could be withdrawn if a new agreement is reached, although any such agreement would…necessitate another referendum… - 24/04/2016
24. “In theory, the British prime minister could try therefore to negotiate better membership terms and put the results to a second referendum, promising that this time out would really mean out.” - 28/04/2016
25. “Europe is changing itself and the UK will have to figure out how to respond to it.” He also raises the spectre of Outers pushing for another referendum off the back of that. - 10/05/2016
26. “There could be unstoppable demand for a re-run of the EU referendum if Remain wins by a narrow margin on 23 June, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said.” 17/05/2016
27. Mr Johnson said it is “difficult” to guarantee the EU question will be settled forever by the referendum depending how the body is changing. – 17/05/2016
28. Notification would be a political decision. Legally, the referendum is not binding, although it would probably be considered politically binding. – 17/05/2016
29. Many will be waiting for a second referendum, which will come as soon as the new EU treaty is agreed. - 25/05/2016 (It’s like the Referendum Act 2011 *does* allow you to vote for the status quo, John…)
30. “If we vote Brexit and ‘out’, we won’t leave.” – 01/06/2016
31. Mr Cameron has ruled out a second referendum. Yet nothing in Brussels is wholly predictable, EU lawyers can be versatile and Mr Cameron might no longer be Prime Minister. – 04/06/2016
32. One possibility…would be to insert a clause demanding a second referendum on the terms of the renegotiation…We would have to respect the mandate of the referendum…there is still plenty of scope on how and when we quit the EU.” – 06/06/2016
33. A substantial increase for support for UKIP could, as occurred in Scotland, raise the prospect of a second referendum. – 09/06/2016
34. He (Dominic Raab) said it would be naïve to think calls for a new poll would not emerge – 09/06/2016
35. “There might be pressure on parties to hold a second referendum.” He added the public may demand a second referendum after the outcome of Brexit negotiations. (I believe the House magazine was edited in 2016 by Gisela Stuart, Chair of Vote Leave) - 13/06/2016
36. Yvette Cooper fails to rule out another referendum in the 2 year negotiating period in the event of a 52/48 result. – 13/06/2016
37. Or ministers could try to renegotiate another deal and put that to another referendum. – 14/06/2016
38. Would a small margin of victory for Leave really generate the kind of chaos that leads to second referendum and ultimately swing the public back to remain? – 20/06/2016
39. “If some leading Brexiteers have their way we could have a ‘Neverendum’ on our hands. -21/06/2016
40. For future Conservative leadership candidates, the hint of a second referendum will be irresistible” – 22/06/2016
41. And will the referendum be the final word on the matter? Watch this space.
(Apparently it was an assumption rather than a democratic imperative....Who knew?)
(Apparently it was an assumption rather than a democratic imperative....Who knew?)
42. All the way through to the day of the 2016 referendum, the second referendum was being discussed, but maybe Royston was talking about the manifestos?
Well this thread shows why that isn’t true:
Well this thread shows why that isn’t true:
43. As for the idea that the government leaflet had any sway, it’s a government leaflet it doesn’t bind parliament and there are historic reasons covered here:
44. Unless our political elite, behind closed doors, swore a cultish oath to do something, even if it means the destruction of their country, while ignoring whatever the voters wanted in the future, then it's safe to say a referendum is a legitimate thing to have.
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