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| David Cameron's draft EU referendum bill fails to quell Tory MPs' discontent | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron's attempt to douse the Eurosceptic surge within the Conservative party by announcing he will publish a draft bill on an EU referendum appears to have failed to quell backbench discontent over Europe. | David Cameron's attempt to douse the Eurosceptic surge within the Conservative party by announcing he will publish a draft bill on an EU referendum appears to have failed to quell backbench discontent over Europe. |
| Rebel MPs said they would press ahead with an amendment to the Queen's speech – and urged the prime minister to face down his Liberal Democrat coalition partners and introduce a government bill to hold a referendum during the present parliament. | Rebel MPs said they would press ahead with an amendment to the Queen's speech – and urged the prime minister to face down his Liberal Democrat coalition partners and introduce a government bill to hold a referendum during the present parliament. |
| The amendment, introduced by Conservative backbenchers, and signed by as many as 80 Tory MPs, regretting the absence of a referendum bill in the Queen's speech is due to be debated on Wednesday. In response, David Cameron, seeking to quell accusations of weakness and a surge in support for Ukip, is to publish his own draft bill introducing an in/out referendum on Tuesday. | The amendment, introduced by Conservative backbenchers, and signed by as many as 80 Tory MPs, regretting the absence of a referendum bill in the Queen's speech is due to be debated on Wednesday. In response, David Cameron, seeking to quell accusations of weakness and a surge in support for Ukip, is to publish his own draft bill introducing an in/out referendum on Tuesday. |
| The prime minister had previously pledged to hold a referendum in 2017 but the lack of a commitment in the legislative agenda, in the face of Lib Dem opposition, prompted unrest among backbench Tory MPs, witnessing a growing threat from Ukip. | The prime minister had previously pledged to hold a referendum in 2017 but the lack of a commitment in the legislative agenda, in the face of Lib Dem opposition, prompted unrest among backbench Tory MPs, witnessing a growing threat from Ukip. |
| The foreign secretary, William Hague, defended the prime minister's move. He said Cameron's draft bill, which is likely to be tabled by a backbencher as a private member's bill, would "entrench" the party's commitment to holding a vote in 2017 and force the other parties "to decide definitively their position". | The foreign secretary, William Hague, defended the prime minister's move. He said Cameron's draft bill, which is likely to be tabled by a backbencher as a private member's bill, would "entrench" the party's commitment to holding a vote in 2017 and force the other parties "to decide definitively their position". |
| "Of course that is a much more difficult route than [government] legislation but it means that there … can be a debate in the House of Commons on our policy, it means there can be a vote," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "What we are doing is strengthening our commitment [to a referendum] … when you can do something to make clearer, to entrench a commitment, you should do that." | "Of course that is a much more difficult route than [government] legislation but it means that there … can be a debate in the House of Commons on our policy, it means there can be a vote," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "What we are doing is strengthening our commitment [to a referendum] … when you can do something to make clearer, to entrench a commitment, you should do that." |
| Hague emphasised that Cameron was forced to go down the route of tabling his own draft bill because the Conservatives' coalition partners are opposed to holding a referendum, making it impossible to introduce a proper government parliamentary bill. | Hague emphasised that Cameron was forced to go down the route of tabling his own draft bill because the Conservatives' coalition partners are opposed to holding a referendum, making it impossible to introduce a proper government parliamentary bill. |
| He denied that the bill was an attempt to alter the outcome of the vote on the backbench amendment, insisting he was "relaxed" about Wednesday's debate. "It is understandable that Conservative MPs are frustrated that we can not put legislation forward as a government," he said. | He denied that the bill was an attempt to alter the outcome of the vote on the backbench amendment, insisting he was "relaxed" about Wednesday's debate. "It is understandable that Conservative MPs are frustrated that we can not put legislation forward as a government," he said. |
| The cabinet minister Ken Clarke, one of the most pro-European Tories, said the party should move on from the issue as a result of Cameron's move and warned that leaving the EU would be a catastrophe. | The cabinet minister Ken Clarke, one of the most pro-European Tories, said the party should move on from the issue as a result of Cameron's move and warned that leaving the EU would be a catastrophe. |
| He told Sky News: "David Cameron has already committed the Conservative party to holding a referendum on Europe in the next parliament; this is obviously an attempt to underline that commitment to a referendum if he gets the chance. | He told Sky News: "David Cameron has already committed the Conservative party to holding a referendum on Europe in the next parliament; this is obviously an attempt to underline that commitment to a referendum if he gets the chance. |
| "I think we should move on now. The important thing is to make sure we get the right result from any referendum which is held to avoid the catastrophe for the country's economy and our political standing in the world if we were to be so very, very reckless as to leave the European Union." | "I think we should move on now. The important thing is to make sure we get the right result from any referendum which is held to avoid the catastrophe for the country's economy and our political standing in the world if we were to be so very, very reckless as to leave the European Union." |
| The amendment, tabled by John Baron and Peter Bone, has now been signed by 78 MPs, including 67 Conservatives. Ministers have been told they must abstain or vote against. Baron and Bone gave a lukewarm response to Cameron's move, saying they would continue to push for support for their amendment. Baron described Cameron's draft bill as a "step in the right direction" but a "second-best offer". Bone said: "If we can win the vote on Wednesday, the prime minister can go to the deputy prime minister and say parliament has spoken, we must introduce this as a government bill." | The amendment, tabled by John Baron and Peter Bone, has now been signed by 78 MPs, including 67 Conservatives. Ministers have been told they must abstain or vote against. Baron and Bone gave a lukewarm response to Cameron's move, saying they would continue to push for support for their amendment. Baron described Cameron's draft bill as a "step in the right direction" but a "second-best offer". Bone said: "If we can win the vote on Wednesday, the prime minister can go to the deputy prime minister and say parliament has spoken, we must introduce this as a government bill." |
| Bernard Jenkin, another senior Tory backbencher, said the only way to draw a line under the issue was a government bill to hold a EU referendum in this parliament. | Bernard Jenkin, another senior Tory backbencher, said the only way to draw a line under the issue was a government bill to hold a EU referendum in this parliament. |
| John Redwood, told BBC News that Cameron's decision to published a draft EU bill did not go far enough. Redwood said that he did not doubt Cameron when he said he would hold a referendum in 2017, but he did not want to wait that long. | John Redwood, told BBC News that Cameron's decision to published a draft EU bill did not go far enough. Redwood said that he did not doubt Cameron when he said he would hold a referendum in 2017, but he did not want to wait that long. |
| "We, the Conservative party, voted en masse against Nice and Amsterdam and Lisbon, three massively centralising treaties that took powers away from our country. We never agreed to them. We want them sorted out. We do not think Britain can be governed properly under them. And it is urgent. It can't wait until 2017." | "We, the Conservative party, voted en masse against Nice and Amsterdam and Lisbon, three massively centralising treaties that took powers away from our country. We never agreed to them. We want them sorted out. We do not think Britain can be governed properly under them. And it is urgent. It can't wait until 2017." |
| Unlike his fellow cabinet members Philip Hammond and Michael Gove, who said they would vote to leave the EU if a referendum were held today, Hague refused to be drawn on the same question, echoing the prime minister's stance. "I am not going to answer hypotheticals," he said. "I am certainly a Eurosceptic but what I support is trying to achieve a new settlement." | Unlike his fellow cabinet members Philip Hammond and Michael Gove, who said they would vote to leave the EU if a referendum were held today, Hague refused to be drawn on the same question, echoing the prime minister's stance. "I am not going to answer hypotheticals," he said. "I am certainly a Eurosceptic but what I support is trying to achieve a new settlement." |
| Cameron's bid to pacify backbenchers comes as a new Guardian/ICM poll shows UKIP on 18%, a record high in an ICM survey, gaining ground at the expense of all three main parties. Labour (34%), the Tories (28%) and the Lib Dems (11%) were each down four points on last month. | Cameron's bid to pacify backbenchers comes as a new Guardian/ICM poll shows UKIP on 18%, a record high in an ICM survey, gaining ground at the expense of all three main parties. Labour (34%), the Tories (28%) and the Lib Dems (11%) were each down four points on last month. |