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| EU referendum bill to be put forward by Tory MP | EU referendum bill to be put forward by Tory MP |
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| A drawn-out parliamentary battle over the holding of an EU referendum by 2017 is now in prospect after the Tory MP James Wharton came top of the private member's ballot and vowed to try to pilot such a bill on to the statute book. | A drawn-out parliamentary battle over the holding of an EU referendum by 2017 is now in prospect after the Tory MP James Wharton came top of the private member's ballot and vowed to try to pilot such a bill on to the statute book. |
| Downing Street confirmed that Conservative MPs would be instructed by their whips to vote for the bill but they will not have the support of their coalition partners. | Downing Street confirmed that Conservative MPs would be instructed by their whips to vote for the bill but they will not have the support of their coalition partners. |
| The move follows a show of strength by Tory Eurosceptics on Wednesday night in a vote on an amendment on the Queen's speech that regretted the absence of an in/out EU referendum bill in the government's legislative programme. Dissenting Conservative MPs numbered 114, although David Cameron's aides insisted the vote was not a blow to his authority because he had allowed a free vote and was relaxed about the outcome. | |
| John Baron, the leader of the Tory dissidents, said: "We are going to keep at this. There is deep distrust out there. Legislation is more realistic than a manifesto promise." | John Baron, the leader of the Tory dissidents, said: "We are going to keep at this. There is deep distrust out there. Legislation is more realistic than a manifesto promise." |
| Wharton, the young MP for Stockton South, said his bill was the best way to deal with the issue and to allow parliament to decide. | Wharton, the young MP for Stockton South, said his bill was the best way to deal with the issue and to allow parliament to decide. |
| "I think that the prime minister has been very clear in saying that the Conservative party position is that people should be given a say by the end of 2017, and parliament should be given an opportunity to legislate on that," he said. | "I think that the prime minister has been very clear in saying that the Conservative party position is that people should be given a say by the end of 2017, and parliament should be given an opportunity to legislate on that," he said. |
| "I hope that when it is brought before parliament, that other MPs from other parties will be able to support it and agree with me that, whatever you think about Europe and our relationship with Europe, the matter needs to be settled and people need to be given a choice." | "I hope that when it is brought before parliament, that other MPs from other parties will be able to support it and agree with me that, whatever you think about Europe and our relationship with Europe, the matter needs to be settled and people need to be given a choice." |
| Wharton's bill will receive its first reading in the Commons on 19 June. The first slot for a private member's bill debate in the Commons is 5 July and Wharton has said he has already been in discussions with the government whips to take up the bill prepared by the Conservative party earlier this week. | Wharton's bill will receive its first reading in the Commons on 19 June. The first slot for a private member's bill debate in the Commons is 5 July and Wharton has said he has already been in discussions with the government whips to take up the bill prepared by the Conservative party earlier this week. |
| Wharton, one of the 114 dissenters, is likely to be able to ensure the bill receives a second reading, moving it on for line-by-line scrutiny at the committee stage. But the bill will struggle at the report stage if hundreds of amendments are tabled and there is insufficient time. | Wharton, one of the 114 dissenters, is likely to be able to ensure the bill receives a second reading, moving it on for line-by-line scrutiny at the committee stage. But the bill will struggle at the report stage if hundreds of amendments are tabled and there is insufficient time. |
| Only a government minister can move a programme motion, but the lack of Liberal Democrat support for the bill means the leader of the house, Andrew Lansley, will not be able to do so. | Only a government minister can move a programme motion, but the lack of Liberal Democrat support for the bill means the leader of the house, Andrew Lansley, will not be able to do so. |
| Cameron will impose a three-line whip and order MPs to vote for the EU referendum bill. A Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister, who had not spoken to Wharton about the bill, "intends to give it the full support of the Conservative party". | Cameron will impose a three-line whip and order MPs to vote for the EU referendum bill. A Downing Street spokesman said the prime minister, who had not spoken to Wharton about the bill, "intends to give it the full support of the Conservative party". |
| Asked if Cameron was concerned about provoking a fight with the Lib Dems, the spokesman said: "No, for the simple reason that the prime minister and deputy prime minister have always acknowledged a difference of opinion on this issue." | Asked if Cameron was concerned about provoking a fight with the Lib Dems, the spokesman said: "No, for the simple reason that the prime minister and deputy prime minister have always acknowledged a difference of opinion on this issue." |
| Baron, who tabled Wednesday night's amendment, said he would back the bill even though he regards it as a "second-best option" because it was important to try to get legislation through. | Baron, who tabled Wednesday night's amendment, said he would back the bill even though he regards it as a "second-best option" because it was important to try to get legislation through. |
| In the Commons, Angela Eagle, the shadow leader of the house, said the Tory party had "descended into chaos on Europe, and the bill was 'entirely spurious' and did not include a implementation clause or money resolution. | In the Commons, Angela Eagle, the shadow leader of the house, said the Tory party had "descended into chaos on Europe, and the bill was 'entirely spurious' and did not include a implementation clause or money resolution. |
| "[Last night] was the 35th Tory rebellion on Europe in this parliament. If that isn't an undisciplined team and a prime minister who follows his party, rather than leads, would you like to tell me what is," she told the Commons leader, Andrew Lansley, who had insisted Wednesday's vote was not a rebellion. | "[Last night] was the 35th Tory rebellion on Europe in this parliament. If that isn't an undisciplined team and a prime minister who follows his party, rather than leads, would you like to tell me what is," she told the Commons leader, Andrew Lansley, who had insisted Wednesday's vote was not a rebellion. |
| The Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, Simon Hughes, accused the Tories of "obsessing about Europe". | The Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, Simon Hughes, accused the Tories of "obsessing about Europe". |
| Wharton once questioned whether too much time was spent debating Europe, saying most people didn't connect with the debate, or spent their every waking hour thinking about Europe. | Wharton once questioned whether too much time was spent debating Europe, saying most people didn't connect with the debate, or spent their every waking hour thinking about Europe. |
| He now hoped the bill could lay the issue to rest. "What I hope is that once we have brought this forward and MPs of all political colours will get a chance to vote on it in parliament, hopefully it will become legislation, but we will see, but we can then put the issue to rest," he told BBC"s World at One. | He now hoped the bill could lay the issue to rest. "What I hope is that once we have brought this forward and MPs of all political colours will get a chance to vote on it in parliament, hopefully it will become legislation, but we will see, but we can then put the issue to rest," he told BBC"s World at One. |
| "Because parliament will have had its say, and on a clear bill which sets out a timetable and a road back to referendum, after a period of renegotiation and that would be an in/out referendum, and we can then, of course, focus on all of the other issues that matter". | "Because parliament will have had its say, and on a clear bill which sets out a timetable and a road back to referendum, after a period of renegotiation and that would be an in/out referendum, and we can then, of course, focus on all of the other issues that matter". |
| He said he hoped at least 100 conservative colleagues would support it, and that it would get cross-party support. He claimed a number of Labour MPs had been in touch, though no Liberal Democrats, as yet. |