THERESA May has been accused of running away from questions about the legitimacy of 2016’s Brexit referendum.
In a written Parliamentary question, the SNP’s Stewart McDonald asked the Prime Minister if the Government would “set up a judge-led public inquiry to investigate the alleged fraud committed by Vote Leave”.
The MP’s question came after Vote Leave, the official Brexit campaign, dropped an appeal against a £61,000 fine for breaking the EU referendum spending limit by donating £680,000 to BeLeave, a youth Brexit group.
May has declined to answer McDonald’s question, passing it over to the Cabinet Office instead.
READ MORE: Vote Leave co-chair declines to apologise for law breach
McDonald was furious: “Given the electoral offences that hang over the Leave campaign, it is only right that we ask the Prime Minister to – at the very least – set up a judge-led public inquiry on the process and outcome of the 2016 EU referendum.
“However, it appears she doesn’t want to be the one to answer that question and is clearly hiding behind her Cabinet colleagues by shuffling my question over to the Cabinet Office instead.
“It is crucial to determine whether this Government is proceeding on the basis of a fraudulent campaign and a fraudulent result, which can only be resolved by revoking Article 50 and ensuring those who took part in this alleged fraud are held to account.”
Last week, Michael Gove, who was one of the co-conveners of the campaign said he was “not involved in the day-to-day running of the campaign” and knew nothing about the donation.
READ MORE: If Michael Gove is the answer the country really is screwed
There is growing pressure on the Government to hold some form of probe into the Brexit referendum and ensuing negotiations.
Bob Kerslake, the former head of the civil service, told the Observer a full inquiry was needed into what was “the biggest humiliation since Suez, certainly since the IMF crisis [in 1976]”.
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