The Labour Party told the commission that it supported a generic Referendum Act, an electoral commission and independent formulation of questions.

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Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000, details of any donor making gifts through a third party must be registered and reported to the Electoral Commission.

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Voters will choose between the two in a referendum, and Parliament will act accordingly.

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It gave the Canadian House of Commons the power to decide whether a proposed referendum question was considered clear before any vote, to judge whether a clear majority for change had been expressed and to override a referendum decision, if it felt the referendum violated any of the tenets of the Clarity Act.

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For his part, Mr Clark is promising that a Conservative government would repeal the Clarity Act, which lays down broad parameters for a referendum on Quebec sovereignty.

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Conservative Graham Stuart said the party had not promised a plebiscite in its election manifesto but a referendum lock, which had been introduced in the European Union Act.

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However, if they called an election to act as a mandate for an in or out referendum on leaving Europe, they would probably win five more years in power.

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MPs will be asked to approve an order under the Scotland Act, to allow the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum on independence.

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And under the Localism Act, any council tax increase of 3.5% or more would require a referendum.

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Equally, however, it is the case that his biggest tasks are behind him - minority rule, the Scotland Act which upgrades Holyrood's powers and the groundwork for a deal between Edinburgh and London over the referendum.

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