Emergency debate: EU referendum and alleged breaches of electoral law

MPs held an emergency debate on the 2016 EU referendum and alleged breaches of electoral law in the House of Commons on the 27 March 2018.

Tom Brake MP secured the leave of the House for an emergency debate on security of elections and referendums. This followed continued coverage of the use of personal data by Cambridge Analytica for political campaigning, and allegations of breaches of rules on referendum spending limits during the 2016 referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU. The Cambridge Analytica case related to data protection and possible illegal use of personal data. It had at the same time raised concerns about transparency in electoral campaigning.

• Primary Source

UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Library: Briefing Paper, No.8272 (27.03.18): EU referendum and alleged breaches of election law (Emergency Debate) http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8272/CBP-8272.pdf

BBC News, 28.03.18: Cheating may have swayed Brexit poll - Christopher Wylie http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-43558876

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

The Guardian, 27.03.18: EU referendum won through fraud, whistleblower tells MPs https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/mar/27/brexit-groups-had-common-plan-to-avoid-election-spending-laws-says-wylie

Channel 4: News, 24.03.18: Brexit campaign was ‘totally illegal’, claims whistleblower https://www.channel4.com/news/brexit-campaign-was-totally-illegal-claims-whistleblower

In Facts, 26.03.18: 6 allegations that suggest Vote Leave may have cheated https://infacts.org/6-allegations-suggest-vote-leave-may-cheated/

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