Actions by the British government during the European Union referendum led to public mistrust, a committee of MPs said Wednesday in a parliamentary report, according to China's Xinhua news agency.
The House of Common's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report said any future referendum in Britain should take note of the lessons learned from the way Brexit referendum was handled, including damage to the reputation of the civil service and the lack of preparation for either of the possible outcomes.
The report said that while the then prime minister David Cameron's government did not support a Leave vote, they had a constitutional and public obligation to prepare for both outcomes from the referendum.
"Unfortunately, many of the government's actions in the run-up to the referendum, which were easily avoidable, appear to have increased public distrust. The use of the machinery of government during the referendum contributed to a perception that the civil service were, in some way, biased," the report said in its conclusions.
The MPs also said the presentation of government reports, particularly those from the Treasury, and the decision to spend 9.3 million pounds (US$11.7 million) on sending a leaflet, advocating a Remain vote, to every home in Britain, were inappropriate and counterproductive for the government.
The committee has recommended that in the event of future referendums, civil servants should be tasked with preparing for both possible outcomes.
"Confusion as to the possible consequences of a referendum result serves only to heighten the potential tensions between referendums and representative democracy and risks increasing the public's disenchantment with politics," added the MPs.
Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, said: "The use of the machinery of government during referendums has a significant effect on public trust and confidence. Referendums need to be designed in such a way as to provide the utmost clarity for parliamentarians, campaigners and, above all, the electorate."
"It is of the highest importance that the referendum process is seen to be fair, by both sides, and that the result is agreed to, even if not with, by both sides," Jenkin added.
The committee has made recommendations which would improve the legislation and regulatory framework for referendums, as well as for the government, civil service and the country's electoral commission.
In last June's EU referendum, the majority of voters ignored the government recommendation for Britain to remain as a member of the 28-nation bloc. By a margin of 52 to 48, the British people voted in favor of leaving the EU.
Last month, Theresa May, who succeeded Cameron as prime minister after the result was declared, started the Brexit process by triggering the Article 50.
Remain supporters have argued that as the referendum gave people a simple remain or leave choice, many people were not aware of the full consequences of a leave vote.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Apr 12 2017
By a margin of 52 to 48, the British people voted in favor of leaving the EU.
Sultan Selangor berangkat ke majlis bacaan yasin, tahlil di Pangkalan TLDM
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yang juga Kepten Yang Dipertua Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) berkenan berangkat ke Pangkalan TLDM Lumut.
MOT, Khazanah, MAG perlu perkukuh tadbir urus MAB - PM Anwar
Jelas Anwar lagi, pengurusan syarikat penerbangan yang baik juga akan memberi manfaat kepada kakitangan melalui gaji yang setimpal dengan perkhidmatan mereka.
Kontroversi UM: Mahasiswa protes, tuntut tindakan tegas pihak jemput profesor pro-Israel
Sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (UM) hari ini mengadakan perhimpunan membantah tindakan menjemput penceramah pro-Zionis memberi ceramah di institusi itu baru-baru ini.
[INFOGRAFIK] Penstrukturan Semula Akaun KWSP | Berkuatkuasa 11 Mei 2024
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan Penstrukturan Semula Akaun KWSP.
Sekatan terhadap penceramah asing pro-Zionis demi keselamatan negara - Zambry
Sekatan terhadap penceramah asing pro-Zionis perlu dilihat dari aspek keselamatan dan imej negara yang boleh terjejas akibat kenyataan mereka.
Kekejaman zionis: Universiti Columbia ilhamkan gelombang protes nasional
Protes di Universiti Columbia membantah perang Israel di Gaza telah mencetuskan gelombang demonstrasi serupa di kampus kolej seluruh Amerika Syarikat.
Pemilik stesen minyak didenda RM30,000 jual RON95 kepada kenderaan asing
Hakim menjatuhkan hukuman itu ke atas Mohammad Naziruddin Abu Hassan, 61, selaku Orang Kena Saman (OKS) selepas mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan itu.
Komen jelik tentang nahas helikopter TLDM, peniaga didenda RM23,000
Seorang peniaga dalam talian didenda RM23,000 oleh Mahkamah Sesyen Taiping pada Jumaat, selepas mengaku bersalah atas tuduhan memuat naik komen jelik berhubung nahas helikopter milik Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) di Lumut, yang mengorbankan 10 mangsa.
Lima laluan ditutup sementara sempena hari penamaan calon PRK KKB esok
Jalan yang terlibat bagi penutupan sementara itu ialah Jalan Merdeka, Jalan Abdul Hamid, Jalan Dato Muda Jaafar, Jalan Mat Kilau dan Jalan Kamarudin.
[TERKINI] Mahasiswa bersama Palestin
Sekumpulan mahasiswa Universiti Malaya yang berang dengan tindakan Institut Pengajian China, Universiti Malaya (UM) menjemput individu pro-Zionis untuk menyampaikan seminar ilmiah, akhirnya turun berdemonstrasi bagi menyuarakan bantahan mereka terhadap Zionis dan sokongan mereka terhadap perjuangan membebaskan Palestin.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
Tidak realistik untuk runding semula protokol - Suruhanjaya Eropah
Badan eksekutif Kesatuan Eropah itu akan melancarkan prosedur pelanggaran bagi melindungi pasaran tunggal blok itu daripada risiko pencabulan protokol.
Pasca-Brexit: Kekurangan bekalan makanan dibimbangi di UK
Bermula 1 Jan, pengimport mesti membuat pengisytiharan kastam penuh mengenai barangan yang dibawa masuk ke UK dari EU atau negara lain.
Pemuda UMNO cadang pembentukan Kabinet Perang
Perdana Menteri boleh meletakkan jawatan atau menasihati Yang di-Pertuan Agong untuk membubarkan Parlimen jika tidak lagi mendapat majoriti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Pasca-Brexit: Kesatuan Eropah tidak akan runding semula perjanjian asal
Kerajaan UK sebelum ini menyatakan, pemeriksaan sempadan yang dikenakan terhadap barangan dari Ireland Utara terbukti tidak dapat dilaksanakan.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Hubungan dengan EU: UK minta runding semula babitkan peraturan dagang
Protokol itu perlu ditulis semula kerana ia melemahkan proses perdamaian dan mempengaruhi kehidupan rakyat di Ireland Utara.
Pasca-Brexit: Parlimen Eropah akan sahkan perjanjian perdagangan
Rancangan asal EU bertujuan mengelak pembukaan sempadan antara Ireland dengan Ireland Utara menjadi pintu belakang bagi bekalan vaksin.
Nelayan Britain berdepan risiko hilang pendapatan susulan larangan eksport EU
Larangan itu dibuat selepas Britain meninggalkan EU pada 1 Januari lalu, yang mana hasil laut yang berkenaan perlu dibersihkan sebelum digunakan dan tidak boleh dijual kepada 27 ahli blok berkenaan.
Kalau tidak politik, kami nak main apa, Mak Yong, congkak? - Salahuddin Ayub
Pakatan Harapan (PH) akan terus berpolitik demi memastikan suara rakyat terus didengari meskipun ada desakan supaya sebarang bentuk politik dihentikan buat masa ini.