EU Membership Referendum

Contents

The UK had joined the European Communities in January 1973. Even before joining the UK's membership was controversial. While the Conservatives were in favour, and took the country into the EC, Labour were wary of the effect membership would have on parliament and the electorate's democratic rights.

In a referendum in 1975, 67.2% of voters opted to remain within the European Communities. However, the UK's membership would continue to be the object of political debate for the following four decades, particularly after the European Communities became the European Union in 1993.

By this point, the political winds had changed. Labour were firmly in favour of membership, whereas the Conservatives had become divided. They were also wary of the rise of the Eurosceptic party Ukip, who had come first in the 2014 European election in the UK and won two parliamentary by-elections which had been called after Conservative members of parliament had defected to Ukip. As a result, the Conservatives called a referendum to put the question to voters.

51.9% of voters opted to leave the European Union. The process of leaving would come to dominate the political landscape for almost four years, leading to two changes of prime minister and two general elections, before the UK actually left the European Union in January 2020.

Question

A referendum was held asking the following question:

Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?

Results

The following results were declared by the returning officer:

Option Medway % UK %

Leave the European Union 88,997 64.1 17,410,742 51.9

Remain a member of the European Union 49,889 35.9 16,141,241 48.1

Turnout 72.2

Option	Medway	%	UK	%
Leave the European Union	88,997	64.1	17,410,742	51.9
Remain a member of the European Union	49,889	35.9	16,141,241	48.1
Turnout				72.2

To order the options by their ballot paper order, number of votes received in Medway or number of votes received in the UK, click on the appropriate column heading.

Rejected Ballots (Medway)

The number of votes rejected and not counted at this election was:

No official mark 0

Both answers voted for 27

Writing or mark which could identify the voter 9

Total 36

Medway Result

UK Result

Results by Ward

In all of Medway's 22 council wards, Leave the European Union received more votes than Remain a member of the European Union, but the margin between Leave and Remain was narrower in some wards than in others.

Ward Leave % Remain %

Peninsula 71.6 28.4

Strood South 70.9 29.1

Twydall 70.9 29.1

Luton and Wayfield 69.0 31.0

Lordswood and Capstone 67.9 32.1

Rainham South 67.2 32.8

Gillingham North 66.8 33.2

Strood Rural 66.4 33.6

Princes Park 66.1 33.9

Rainham North 65.5 34.5

Cuxton and Halling 64.1 35.9

Walderslade 63.9 36.1

Strood North 63.8 36.2

Chatham Central 62.8 37.2

Gillingham South 62.7 37.3

Rochester South and Horsted 60.8 39.2

Watling 59.5 40.5

Hempstead and Wigmore 59.3 40.7

River 58.3 41.7

Rochester East 57.4 42.6

Rainham Central 56.6 43.4

Rochester West 54.3 45.7

Ward	Leave %	Remain %
Peninsula	71.6	28.4
Strood South	70.9	29.1
Twydall	70.9	29.1
Luton and Wayfield	69.0	31.0
Lordswood and Capstone	67.9	32.1
Rainham South	67.2	32.8
Gillingham North	66.8	33.2
Strood Rural	66.4	33.6
Princes Park	66.1	33.9
Rainham North	65.5	34.5
Cuxton and Halling	64.1	35.9
Walderslade	63.9	36.1
Strood North	63.8	36.2
Chatham Central	62.8	37.2
Gillingham South	62.7	37.3
Rochester South and Horsted	60.8	39.2
Watling	59.5	40.5
Hempstead and Wigmore	59.3	40.7
River	58.3	41.7
Rochester East	57.4	42.6
Rainham Central	56.6	43.4
Rochester West	54.3	45.7

To view the full results for each ward, please click on the ward name above. To order the wards by their name or the level of support each referendum option received, click on the appropriate column heading.

	No official mark	0
	Both answers voted for	27
	Writing or mark which could identify the voter	9
	Total	36