These lawyers want Parliament to decide whether the UK should Brexit

LONDON -- A group of more than 1,000 lawyers has called on David Cameron to allow Parliament to decide whether the UK should leave the European Union after the country voted to do so in a referendum.

In a letter to the outgoing prime minister, the barristers said the result of the vote was based on "misrepresentations of facts and promises that could not be delivered," and was only "advisory" and not legally binding. 

"Since the result was only narrowly in favour of Brexit, it cannot be discounted that the misrepresentations and promises were a decisive or contributory factor in the result," the letter reads. 

Therefore, the lawyers urge Cameron to seek Parliament's backing before triggering Article 50, the clause that kicks off the two-year process of withdrawal from the 28-member bloc. 

The letter says:

The referendum did not set a threshold necessary to leave the EU, commonly adopted in polls of national importance, eg, 60% of those voting or 40% of the electorate. This is presumably because the result was only advisory.

The outcome of the exit process will affect a generation of people who were not old enough to vote in the referendum. The positions of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar require special consideration, since their populations did not vote to leave the EU.

The parliamentary vote should take place with a greater understanding as to the economic consequences of Brexit, as businesses and investors in the UK start to react to the outcome of the referendum.

Philip Kolvin QC, who coordinated this action, said Parliament "is sovereign and the guardian of our democracy."

"MPs are elected to exercise their best judgment on the basis of objective evidence, to safeguard the interests of the country and their constituents for this and future generations," he said. "At this time of profound constitutional, political and possibly social and economic crisis, we look to them to fulfil the responsibility placed upon them.”

Other initiatives have called on the prime minister to pursue Parliament's vote before triggering Article 50. Over the weekend, the government dismissed a petition, signed by more than 4.1 million people, which called for a second referendum on EU membership. 

A legal challenge to prevent the prime minister from signing Article 50 is due to be heard on July 19 by the High Court. The challenge claims that only Parliament can initiate Britain's withdrawal from the EU. 

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