UK rejects second referendum petition

July 09, 2016 17:02

The UK government has officially rejected a petition signed by over 4.1 million people calling for a second referendum for Britain to decide on its fate in or out of the EU, saying the people's decision must be "respected".

The petition that was the most-signed government petition since the process was introduced in 2011 and built momentum in the wake of Brexit, or Britain's exit from the European Union (EU), in the June 23 referendum.

However, in an official reply, the UK Foreign Office said this week 33 million people had had their say and "the decision must be respected".

"We must now prepare for the process to exit the EU," it said.

The petition, which was ironically set up by a Brexit supporter before the referendum was held, had called for the government to annul the results if the Remain or Leave vote won by less than 60 per cent on a turnout of less than 75 per cent.

In the wake of the Brexit vote, the petition was shared widely on social media by Remain supporters. British government petitions which reach over 100,000 signatures must be considered for debate in parliament.

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