Right: young people expressed horror at the Brexit result, saying that their future was ruined ... and yet only 36 per cent of them voted..
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Background information
(The information found below was abbreviated from the Wikipedia entry titled 'United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union'
The full text can be accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_withdrawal_from_the_European_Union)
United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union
British withdrawal from the European Union is a political goal that has been pursued by various individuals, advocacy groups, and political parties from across the political spectrum since the United Kingdom joined the precursor of the European Union (EU) in 1973. Withdrawal from the European Union has been a right of EU member states since 2007 under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. It is often referred to as Brexit, or, in early usage, Brixit, both words derived by analogy from Grexit.
In 1973, the UK joined the European Economic Community (EEC). In 1975, a referendum was held on the country's continued membership of the EEC, which was approved by 67% of voters. The EEC later transformed into the EU.
In 2016, a referendum was held on Great Britain's membership of the EU. This referendum was arranged by the British Parliament when it passed the European Union Referendum Act 2015. The result of the referendum was 52% in favour of leaving and 48% in favour of remaining, with a turnout of 72% of the electorate.
The process for the UK's withdrawal is uncertain under EU law, although it is generally expected to take at least two years. Article 50, which governs the withdrawal, has never been used before. The timing for leaving under the article is a strict two years, although extensions are possible once Britain gives an official notice, but no official notice seems likely to be given until after a new British Prime Minister is selected later in 2016.
The assumption is that during the two year window new agreements may be negotiated, but there is no requirement that there be new agreements. The current British Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced he will resign by October, while the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has said that Scotland might refuse consent for legislation required to leave the EU.
The history of Great Britain's involvement with the European Union
The United Kingdom was not a signatory to the Treaty of Rome which created the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. The country subsequently applied to join the organization in 1963 and again in 1967, but both applications were vetoed by the then President of France, Charles de Gaulle.
Once de Gaulle had relinquished the French presidency, the United Kingdom made a third application for membership, which was successful. Under the Conservative Prime Minister Edward Heath the European Communities Act 1972 was enacted. On 1 January 1973 the United Kingdom joined the EEC, or 'Common Market'. The opposition Labour Party, led by Harold Wilson, contested the October 1974 general election with a commitment to renegotiate Britain's terms of membership of the EEC and then hold a referendum on whether to remain in the EEC on the new terms.
1975 referendum
In 1975, the United Kingdom held a referendum on whether to remain in the EEC. All of the major political parties and mainstream press supported continuing membership of the EEC. However, there were significant splits within the ruling Labour party, the membership of which had voted 2:1 in favour of withdrawal at a one-day party conference on 26 April 1975. Since the cabinet was split between strongly pro-European and strongly anti-European ministers, Harold Wilson suspended the constitutional convention of Cabinet collective responsibility and allowed ministers to publicly campaign on either side. Seven of the twenty-three members of the cabinet opposed EEC membership.
On 5 June 1975, the electorate were asked to vote yes or no on the question: 'Do you think the UK should stay in the European Community (Common Market)?' Every administrative county in the United Kingdom had a majority of 'Yes', except the Shetland Islands and the Outer Hebrides. In line with the outcome of the vote, the United Kingdom remained a member of the EEC.
Between referendums
The opposition Labour Party campaigned in the 1983 general election on a commitment to withdraw from the EEC. It was heavily defeated as the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher was re-elected. The Labour Party subsequently changed its policy.
As a result of the Maastricht Treaty, the EEC became the European Union (EU) on 1 November 1993. The organization had evolved from an economic union into a political union. The name change reflected this.
The Referendum Party was formed in 1994 by Sir James Goldsmith to contest the 1997 general election on a platform of providing a referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the EU. It fielded candidates in 547 constituencies at that election and won 810,860 votes, 2.6% of total votes cast. It failed to win a single parliamentary seat as its vote was spread out, losing its deposit in 505 constituencies.
The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), a Eurosceptic political party, was formed in 1993. It achieved third place in the United Kingdom during the 2004 European elections, second place in the 2009 European elections and first place in the 2014 European elections, with 27.5% of the total vote. This was the first time since the 1910 general election that any party other than the Labour or Conservative parties had taken the largest share of the vote in a nationwide election.
In 2014, UKIP won two by-elections, triggered when the sitting Conservative MPs defected to UKIP and then resigned. These were their first elected MPs. In 2015, the 2015 general election UKIP took 12.6% of the total vote and held one of the two seats won in 2014.
2016 referendum
In 2012, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, rejected calls for a referendum on the United Kingdom's EU membership, but suggested the possibility of a future referendum to gauge public support. According to the BBC, 'The prime minister acknowledged the need to ensure the UK's position within the European Union had "the full-hearted support of the British people" but they needed to show "tactical and strategic patience".'
Under pressure from many of his MPs and from the rise of UKIP, in January 2013, Cameron announced that a Conservative government would hold an in-out referendum on EU membership before the end of 2017, on a renegotiated package, if elected in 2015.
The Conservative Party won the 2015 general election with a majority. Soon afterwards the European Union Referendum Act 2015 was introduced into Parliament to enable the referendum. Despite being in favour of remaining in a reformed European Union himself, Cameron announced that Conservative Ministers and MPs were free to campaign in favour of remaining in the EU or leaving it, according to their conscience. This decision came after mounting pressure for a free vote for ministers. In an exception to the usual rule of cabinet collective responsibility, Cameron allowed individual cabinet ministers to publicly campaign for EU withdrawal.