Britain’s EU referendum: what you need to know

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that a referendum will be held on 23 June to decide whether Britain should remain a member of the European Union.

Read on for rolling news updates or scroll further down for a full explainer on how Britain’s EU referendum will work.

Latest news

· London mayor Boris Johnson says he will campaign for Britain to leave the EU. His support for an EU exit is seen as a major blow to the prime minister's campaign to remain in the bloc.

· David Cameron announces the date of the UK’s in/out referendum, 23 June, following a deal in Brussels that he argues gives Britain a "special status" within the EU.

Source: BBC

Cameron’s EU deal: the changes agreed in Brussels

The British prime minister had a number of items on his wishlist in Brussels. The changes agreed by EU leaders will come into force immediately if the UK votes to stay in. They include:

In-work benefits: The UK can limit in-work benefits for EU migrants for their first four years in the country. The emergency brake can be used during times of “exceptional” migration but cannot be extended beyond seven years.

Child benefit: Payments will be recalculated to reflect the cost of living for children in their home countries.

Source: Bruegel

Protection for non-Euro countries: The EU has agreed Britain can keep the pound while being in Europe, and British businesses cannot be discriminated against for being outside the Eurozone. Also, British taxpayers will not have to bail out Eurozone nations.

Protection for the City of London: The UK’s financial centre will have safeguards to prevent Eurozone regulations being imposed on it.

Ever closer union: There is a clear commitment that the UK is not on a path to deeper integration with other EU member states. This will be incorporated in an EU treaty change.

'Red card' for national parliaments: Governments will be able to stall new regulations by grouping together. If 55% of national EU parliaments do not want a piece of EU legislation, it may be discussed further.

Competitiveness: EU institutions and member states will take "concrete steps towards better regulation", including by slashing red tape.

Limits on free movement: Under the agreement, nationals of a country outside the EU who marry an EU national will be denied automatic free movement. This is part of an effort to tackle "sham" marriages to gain residence rights. There are also new powers to stop people thought to be a security risk coming to the UK – even if they have no previous convictions.

What is a referendum?

A referendum involves the government asking everyone who is eligible to vote to accept or reject a proposition, normally answering “yes” or “no” by ticking a box on a ballot paper. The side that receives more than half of all the votes is deemed the winner.

Who can take part?

As is the case with a parliamentary election, British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens aged over 18 who live in the UK, and British nationals who have lived overseas for less than 15 years, will be eligible to vote in the EU referendum.

In addition, members of the House of Lords (parliament's upper house) and citizens of Gibraltar who are eligible to vote in European parliamentary elections will also be able to vote.

Citizens of EU countries living in Britain, apart from those from Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, will not be allowed to vote.

What's the question?

The question on the ballot paper will be: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?"

The proposed ballot paper has already been published:

Why is a referendum being held?

Britain held a referendum in 1975 soon after joining the EU, and the country voted to stay in.

In 2013, Cameron promised to hold an in-out vote on Britain’s EU membership by the end of 2017 – if the Conservatives won the 2015 election.

His pledge followed mounting calls from the public and politicians for another vote because they argue the EU has changed dramatically since the UK joined in 1973.

How long will the campaign last?

The EU referendum law requires a campaign period of at least 10 weeks before the vote takes place.

Before that official campaign period can begin, legislation will need to pass through parliament setting out the details of the vote, including the date. The government expects that process to take about six weeks.

How will the UK government campaign?

David Cameron has said he will campaign with all his "heart and soul" to persuade the British public to vote to remain in the EU, warning that leaving the bloc would be a "leap in the dark".

While the official government position is in favour of staying in, a number of influential Conservatives, including London Mayor Boris Johnson, are backing the Out campaign.

The government will have to stick to a period of "purdah" in the 28 days leading up to the referendum, which will restrict it from saying anything that could influence the outcome of the vote.

What happens if voters choose Brexit?

If voters opt to leave the EU, the process would start immediately. The prime minister has said he will invoke Article 50, the formal mechanism for leaving the EU. This would start negotiations for ending membership that could last for up to two years.

Have you read?
The map showing which countries want the UK to stay in the EU
Should we worry about Britain leaving the EU?
What would Brexit look like?