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Youth activists push Burnham for EU rejoin referendum vote

8/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Youth activists urge Prime Minister Burnham to hold an EU-re-membership referendum and let 16- and 17-year-olds vote.
They say the post-1999 cohort missed the 2016 Brexit vote and must now decide the EU future.
The National Rejoin March, set for June 2027 in London, will feature the “silenced generation.”
All hosts and speakers will be from that generation, tying the EU re-join push to extending voting rights.

History

Historical Context

On 5 June 1975 Prime Minister Harold Wilson held Britain’s first UK-wide referendum, asking whether to remain in the European Communities after joining on 1 January 1973. Voters chose to stay by 67% on a 64% turnout, a result that guided UK-EU relations until the 2016 Brexit vote. Youth activists now cite the 1975 “silenced generation” as they demand a new referendum and voting rights for 16- and 17-year-olds.

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Story summary

Youth activists urge Prime Minister Burnham to hold an EU-re-membership referendum and let 16- and 17-year-olds vote.
They say the post-1999 cohort missed the 2016 Brexit vote and must now decide the EU future.
The National Rejoin March, set for June 2027 in London, will feature the “silenced generation.”
All hosts and speakers will be from that generation, tying the EU re-join push to extending voting rights.

1 / 2