UK and the EU (5) - Referendum - "People need facts not slogans" (Lord King)

The European Union Referendum Act 2015 stipulates that the government must publish certain information prior to the referendum.  This duty has been complied with:-

The Statement required by section 6 was announced by the Prime Minister on 22nd February - "The best of both worlds: the UK's special status in a reformed EU" 

Statement required by section 7 - Alternatives to membership

Second statement under section 7 (April 2016) - Rights and obligations of EU membership.

Previous "background" posts relating to the referendum are:-



20th February - Brexit ~ referendum ~ a few points - including link to the deal secured by the Prime Minister

UK and the EU (1) - History and Background

UK and the EU (2) - The EU Treaties - key points

UK and the EU (3) - The Parliament, the Commission and the Court

UK and the EU (4) - Freedom of movement of persons

This series of posts is aimed at providing essential background information. There has been a regrettable absence of serious "for and against" debate and the general public lacks hard factual information on which to base any informed decision about what is unquestionably THE most important decision ever to be taken by the public in a referendum.  Instead we have heard the opinions of various politicians and some other public figures such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord King (former Governor of the Bank of England).

There are many difficult and frequently controversial aspects of the EU / UK relationship and I intend to try to follow up on some of these in subsequent posts.