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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| MPs reject 'in or out' EU debate | MPs reject 'in or out' EU debate |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MPs have overwhelmingly rejected a Liberal Democrat attempt to force a debate on Britain's EU membership. | |
| The Commons Speaker let MPs decide whether to debate the issue, after his decision not to allow it last week prompted a mass walkout by Lib Dem MPs. | |
| Lib Dem Ed Davey said MPs should allow a full debate - and asked what other parties were "frightened of". | Lib Dem Ed Davey said MPs should allow a full debate - and asked what other parties were "frightened of". |
| But the Tories said it was a bid to "paper over" his party's divisions over a separate referendum on the EU treaty. | |
| MPs voted by 471 to 68 not to allow the debate. It comes a day before the long-awaited MPs' vote on whether to hold a referendum on the new EU treaty. | |
| 'Deliberate distraction' | 'Deliberate distraction' |
| Foreign affairs spokesman Mr Davey told MPs it would be "undemocratic" not to allow the debate on UK membership of the EU. | Foreign affairs spokesman Mr Davey told MPs it would be "undemocratic" not to allow the debate on UK membership of the EU. |
| "I simply can't believe that the government, the Conservative opposition or indeed any other party would wish to curb open debate in this House," he said. | "I simply can't believe that the government, the Conservative opposition or indeed any other party would wish to curb open debate in this House," he said. |
| But he came under attack from Labour and Conservative MPs who accused him of supporting the debate for other reasons. | But he came under attack from Labour and Conservative MPs who accused him of supporting the debate for other reasons. |
| Its purpose is to try to paper over the deep divisions in one party William HagueConservatives | Its purpose is to try to paper over the deep divisions in one party William HagueConservatives |
| For the Conservatives, William Hague said it was a "deliberate distraction from what is really at stake on the Lisbon Treaty". | For the Conservatives, William Hague said it was a "deliberate distraction from what is really at stake on the Lisbon Treaty". |
| On Wednesday the Conservatives will bring an amendment calling for a referendum on the new EU treaty - arguing that all the main three parties promised one on the constitution, and the treaty is essentially the same. | On Wednesday the Conservatives will bring an amendment calling for a referendum on the new EU treaty - arguing that all the main three parties promised one on the constitution, and the treaty is essentially the same. |
| The Lib Dems have said they will abstain - Tory leader David Cameron has appealed to Lib Dem MPs to rebel against their party leadership. | The Lib Dems have said they will abstain - Tory leader David Cameron has appealed to Lib Dem MPs to rebel against their party leadership. |
| Merits of treaty | Merits of treaty |
| In the Commons, Mr Hague dismissed the Lib Dems' call for an "in or out" referendum saying: "Its purpose is to try to paper over the deep divisions in one party between those honourable members who vote to keep the manifesto pledge they made and those who wish to break it." | In the Commons, Mr Hague dismissed the Lib Dems' call for an "in or out" referendum saying: "Its purpose is to try to paper over the deep divisions in one party between those honourable members who vote to keep the manifesto pledge they made and those who wish to break it." |
| Labour MP David Taylor also accused Mr Davey of trying to "obscure" what the party's real policy towards Europe was, while senior Tory Sir Patrick Cormack attacked the Lib Dem motion as an "extraordinary example of sanctimonious chicanery". | |
| Members of the flat earth society and all those who peddle the most God almighty nonsense about this would be quashed Andrew MacKinleyLabour MP | |
| For the government, Europe Minister Jim Murphy said the Lib Dem vote was not needed, as the same issue had already been heavily defeated in a Commons vote last November by 68 to 464 votes. | For the government, Europe Minister Jim Murphy said the Lib Dem vote was not needed, as the same issue had already been heavily defeated in a Commons vote last November by 68 to 464 votes. |
| He added the debate on Wednesday was on the "merits of the Lisbon Treaty not whether we should or should not be in the European Union". | He added the debate on Wednesday was on the "merits of the Lisbon Treaty not whether we should or should not be in the European Union". |
| "Some commentators - unfairly I'm sure - have said that this instruction isn't so much about the inner detail of the Lisbon treaty, but the inner dynamic of the Liberal Democratic party," he added. | |
| But Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay said he would vote for the debate and said he believed the pro-Europeans would win an "in or out" referendum and it would reaffirm Britain's place in the EU. | But Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay said he would vote for the debate and said he believed the pro-Europeans would win an "in or out" referendum and it would reaffirm Britain's place in the EU. |
| Constitution pledge | Constitution pledge |
| He added: "Members of the flat earth society and all those who peddle the most God almighty nonsense about this would be quashed." | |
| The pro-European Liberal Democrats are expected to abstain in Wednesday's vote on the Conservative amendment. | The pro-European Liberal Democrats are expected to abstain in Wednesday's vote on the Conservative amendment. |
| Instead the Lib Dems say they want a referendum on what leader Nick Clegg calls the "real" issue - the whole question of whether Britain should remain in the EU. | Instead the Lib Dems say they want a referendum on what leader Nick Clegg calls the "real" issue - the whole question of whether Britain should remain in the EU. |
| The treaty was designed to replace the EU constitution, on which all three of the main parties promised a referendum in their 2005 manifestos. | The treaty was designed to replace the EU constitution, on which all three of the main parties promised a referendum in their 2005 manifestos. |
| But the constitution was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. | But the constitution was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. |
| The government and the Lib Dems say the treaty does not have constitutional implications, so a referendum on it is not needed. | The government and the Lib Dems say the treaty does not have constitutional implications, so a referendum on it is not needed. |
| But the Conservatives, some Labour and Lib Dem MPs and the UK Independence Party, all say that it is effectively the constitution under a different name - so there should be a referendum. | But the Conservatives, some Labour and Lib Dem MPs and the UK Independence Party, all say that it is effectively the constitution under a different name - so there should be a referendum. |
| Wednesday's vote in the House of Commons - expected in the early evening - is seen as the key vote in the EU treaty's progress through the UK Parliament. | Wednesday's vote in the House of Commons - expected in the early evening - is seen as the key vote in the EU treaty's progress through the UK Parliament. |
| Conservative leader David Cameron says he hopes they can win - but said "a lot depends" on support from rebel Lib Dem MPs. | Conservative leader David Cameron says he hopes they can win - but said "a lot depends" on support from rebel Lib Dem MPs. |