British MPs to debate petition for second referendum

London, Sep 5 (IANS) British MPs are slated to debate on Monday a petition signed by over four million people asking for another referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union (EU).

The petition was signed by 4.1 million people online and asked the government to call a second referendum, as the one in June garnered less than 60 per cent support for "Brexit", Efe news reported.

Parliament is obliged to debate any petition that receives over 100,000 signatures.

British MP from the Scottish National Party (SNP) and member of the Petitions Committee Ian Blackford was to open the debate later in the day.

Monday's debate was symbolic and could not alter the result of the referendum in June.

In the historic referendum on June 23, 52 per cent of the electorate voted in favour of the UK leaving the EU.

The government has said that the choice of the British voters must be respected and it would comply with the democratic decision of the population that supported Brexit back in June.

Prime Minister Teresa May has indicated that she will not activate Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty -- the mechanism that triggers the process of the UK's withdrawal from the bloc -- before the end of the year.