MPs will debate a petition which calls for a second EU referendum
4.1million people have signed the online petition but the debate does not have the power to change the law
MPs will debate whether to have a second EU referendum after more than four million people signed a petition calling for one.
They said the huge number of signatories to the online petition meant it was right to set aside time to discuss the calls.
A debate will be held in Westminster Hall, the Commons' second chamber, on September 5, opened by the SNP's Ian Blackford.
Ministers have already formally rejected the demands made in the online request and the Petitions Committee stressed the debate does not have the power to change the law.
";The committee has decided that the huge number of people signing this petition means that it should be debated by MPs. The Petitions Committee would like to make clear that, in scheduling this debate, they are not supporting the call for a second referendum," a spokesman said.
"A debate in Westminster Hall does not have the power to change the law, and won't end with the House of Commons deciding whether or not to have a second referendum.
"Moreover, the petition - which was opened on May 25, well before the referendum - calls for the referendum rules to be changed. It is now too late for the rules to be changed retrospectively.
"It will be up to the Government to decide whether it wants to start the process of agreeing a new law for a second referendum.”
The petition was created by Brexit supporter William Oliver Healey, to urge a re-run in the case of a narrow Remain victory.
It said: “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60per cent based a turnout less than 75pc there should be another referendum.”
The referendum on June 23 attracted a turnout of 73pc with 17.4 million people voting in favour of Brexit – a 52pc share of the vote.