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EU campaigners hold 'mass lobby' Cameron calls for EU 'free vote'
(about 4 hours later)
Campaigners for a referendum on the EU treaty hope to get more MPs to back them with a "mass lobby" of Parliament. Gordon Brown has been urged to allow Labour MPs a "free vote" on whether to hold a referendum on the EU treaty.
The I Want a Referendum group's move comes a week before MPs vote on a Conservative amendment to the treaty bill, calling for such a referendum. Conservative leader David Cameron asked if it was "right" to ask some Labour MPs to "vote against their beliefs".
Ministers say their 2005 promise of a vote on the EU constitution does not apply now as the treaty is different. The prime minister said the treaty was no longer a "constitutional" one - and the Tories were also split over whether a referendum on it should be held.
But the Tories, some Labour and Lib Dem MPs and the UK Independence Party say it is just a re-named constitution. It comes as I Want a Referendum campaigners lobby Parliament, a week before a Commons vote on the issue.
Support The group hope to persuade more MPs to back their campaign, ahead of the vote on a Conservative amendment to the treaty bill, calling for a referendum.
I Want A Referendum has been holding its own local referendums in some marginal Labour and Lib Dem constituencies. 'Conscientious belief'
Some Labour MPs, including former ministers Frank Field and Kate Hoey, are supporting the group. The three main parties promised a referendum on the EU Constitution in 2005 but the constitution was rejected in 2005 and the new treaty was drawn up instead.
The Liberal Democrats leadership says it will not back the Conservative amendment and has instead called for a referendum on the wider question of Britain's membership of the EU. At prime minister's questions, Mr Cameron told the prime minister: "Today there are hundreds of people marching on Parliament and asking for the referendum they were promised on the EU Constitution.
We need to know when we will debate this issue. It's a debate the British people want Ed Davey, Lib Dems class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7265516.stm">Lib Dem ejected from Commons class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6901353.stm">What's in the treaty? Welcome back; I hope this time you can stay long enough to hear the answers Gordon Brown to Nick Clegg
But on Tuesday, the Speaker did not call that topic for a debate, prompting an angry protest by Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey, who was eventually ordered out of the Commons. "Will he at least accept that it can't be right to ask his own members of Parliament - many of whom really feel a conscientious belief that they signed up to a manifesto - to vote against their consciences. Can that be right?"
Neil O'Brien, director of the I Want a Referendum campaign, accused the Lib Dems of having "chickened out" of calling for a referendum on the treaty. He added: "If the prime minister is so confident of his position ... he should give them a free vote."
At the last general election in 2005 all three main parties promised a referendum on the planned European Constitution. Mr Brown replied that the "constitutional concept" had been abandoned in Brussels adding: "This is an amending treaty and not a constitutional treaty."
But the document was discarded later that year when it was rejected by Dutch and French voters. Tory disagreements
He pointed out there were disagreements within the Conservative Party about whether it required a referendum and challenged Mr Cameron to say if he would continue to campaign for a referendum, even if the treaty was ratified across Europe.
The Liberal Democrat leadership says it will not back the Conservative amendment and has instead called for a referendum on the wider question of Britain's membership of the EU.
But on Tuesday, that topic was not called for debate, prompting an angry protest by Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey, who was eventually ordered out of the Commons, followed by many Lib Dem MPs.
On Wednesday, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg criticised "clapped out, 19th Century practices" which had prevented his party having that debate.
Mr Brown replied that there was no support for such a referendum, adding: "Welcome back; I hope this time you can stay long enough to hear the answers."
The EU Reform Treaty, signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other national leaders in Lisbon in December, was designed to replace the constitution.The EU Reform Treaty, signed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other national leaders in Lisbon in December, was designed to replace the constitution.
Ministers argue that no referendum is needed as the treaty merely amends the EU's existing constitution, rather than overwriting it - as the failed constitution would have done.Ministers argue that no referendum is needed as the treaty merely amends the EU's existing constitution, rather than overwriting it - as the failed constitution would have done.
But the Tories, UKIP and various groups, including I want a Referendum, say the two documents are substantially the same and that the public must have a say.But the Tories, UKIP and various groups, including I want a Referendum, say the two documents are substantially the same and that the public must have a say.
I Want a Referendum's lobbying of MPs is expected to last several hours.I Want a Referendum's lobbying of MPs is expected to last several hours.