Abstract
The 2016 referendum on UK membership returned a slim majority in favor of the UK leaving the EU. Linked to the pluri-national character of the UK however, the referendum was based on a territorially differentiated campaign experience. This was especially so in Northern Ireland where specific issues, particular to the region's disputed political history and geography, formed the basis for the referendum narrative. In addition, Northern Ireland was also subject to distinctive region-specific electoral rules, most notably unique disclosure laws in relation to campaign finance. These laws, however, produced somewhat unexpected consequences by facilitating the production and sharing of pro-Leave campaign materials outside Northern Ireland by the largest unionist political party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). By exploiting legal loopholes in electoral law, the DUP's political maneuvering undermined transparency and confidence in the integrity of the 2016 referendum.
This article explores and explains the divisive nature of the UK's 2016 referendum on EU membership. It discusses the distinctive nature of the referendum campaign experience in Northern Ireland by focusing specifically on how the DUP, a small and regionally specific political party, exploited the weaknesses of British electoral law to surreptitiously fund campaign efforts outside its Northern Ireland constituency. This challenge to the integrity of both the referendum process and outcome is consequential in terms of its impact on the legitimacy of the democratic system. It is also significant insofar as it has ramifications for future, and potentially even more divisive, UK and/or Northern Ireland referendums on contested constitutional issues.
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