Parliamentary Sovereignty (Referendums) Bill

A Bill to prohibit Ministers of the Crown from making or implementing any legal instrument which is not consistent with the sovereignty of the United Kingdom Parliament, unless it has been approved by a referendum; and for connected purposes.

Originating House

House of Commons

Last Updated

2 November 2023

In Plain English

AI-generated

This bill would stop ministers from creating or using any legal instrument that is not aligned with the sovereignty of the UK Parliament, unless it has been approved by a referendum. In effect, any government action that could affect Parliament’s supreme authority would require a referendum before it can take effect.

Key Points

Ministers of the Crown would be prohibited from making or implementing legal instruments that are not consistent with Parliament’s sovereignty unless a referendum approves them.
A referendum would be required for such instruments before they can be enacted or put into effect.
The bill may include provisions about how referendums are conducted and what counts as a sufficient referendum approval (and related purposes).

Who is affected?

UK Government ministers (the Cabinet)Civil servants involved in drafting and implementing legal instrumentsMembers of Parliament and the LordsThe electorate (voters) who would vote in referendumsBusinesses, charities and public bodies affected by UK law (indirectly)

Generated 21 February 2026

Updates & Documents

News (1)

Parliamentary Sovereignty (Referendums) Bill

25 Oct 2023

The 2022-2023 session of Parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress.

Parliamentary Votes (0)

No recorded votes for this bill yet.

Parliamentary Sovereignty (Referendums) Bill | TrackPolitics