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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| MPs push Brown for EU treaty vote | MPs push Brown for EU treaty vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A cross-party group of MPs have said they are confident that a new campaign would pressure Gordon Brown into holding a referendum on the EU Treaty. | |
| Ex-Labour ministers Kate Hoey and Frank Field are among MPs who claim voters were promised a say by the government. | |
| They will use a website, cinema adverts and events to put their message across. | They will use a website, cinema adverts and events to put their message across. |
| A referendum on the EU constitution was pledged in 2005, but Mr Brown says the treaty is different to the abandoned constitution so no poll is needed. | A referendum on the EU constitution was pledged in 2005, but Mr Brown says the treaty is different to the abandoned constitution so no poll is needed. |
| Supporters of the I Want a Referendum campaign claimed they had the support of about 50 Labour MPs and the sympathy of a further 60 to 70. | |
| Labour MPs at the project's launch suggested that if 100 of their colleagues signed a Commons motion calling for a referendum, it would be "game, set and match", and the prime minister would be forced to organise a vote. | |
| Government whips are so alarmed by the potential rebellion that they are contacting MPs to assess the size of any potential revolt, Labour sources have claimed. | |
| 'Red lines' | |
| Mr Brown has said that Britain has got its way in the treaty's proposals for key areas such as justice and security - and as long as that does not change there should be no need for a poll. | |
| "If we succeed in achieving our red lines in all the detailed negotiations, there will, in my view and in the government's view, be no need for a referendum," Mr Brown told the BBC on Monday. | "If we succeed in achieving our red lines in all the detailed negotiations, there will, in my view and in the government's view, be no need for a referendum," Mr Brown told the BBC on Monday. |
| There's a huge gap of cynicism between the electorate and us Frank Field MPFormer Labour minister | There's a huge gap of cynicism between the electorate and us Frank Field MPFormer Labour minister |
| The "red lines" he refers to include Britain keeping control of its foreign policy, tax, benefits and criminal justice, and being able to opt out of a charter of fundamental rights. | |
| But the prime minister's stance has not convinced Derek Scott, vice-chairman of Eurosceptic pressure group Open Europe, who is chairing the referendum campaign. | |
| "It's going to be, quite clearly, a difficult campaign," he told the BBC News website, acknowledging that some voters found it hard to engage with complicated EU policy documents. | "It's going to be, quite clearly, a difficult campaign," he told the BBC News website, acknowledging that some voters found it hard to engage with complicated EU policy documents. |
| "We're trying to persuade people - but not by going into the details of Article 4 or Article 5, because that isn't something which is going to resonate with them very much. | "We're trying to persuade people - but not by going into the details of Article 4 or Article 5, because that isn't something which is going to resonate with them very much. |
| Mr Brown argues no referendum is needed to approve the treaty"But I do think they understand the basic issue here, which is a matter of trust, and there is a great deal of disillusionment with politicians of all parties." | |
| Meanwhile Mr Field, a former social security minister, added that most MPs "are returned with votes of only between 50% and 60% of the electorate". | Meanwhile Mr Field, a former social security minister, added that most MPs "are returned with votes of only between 50% and 60% of the electorate". |
| "There's a huge gap of cynicism between the electorate and us. | "There's a huge gap of cynicism between the electorate and us. |
| "They don't think we're interested in their views, and that we've got our own little agenda, and here is a chance of narrowing that divide. We should actually seize it with both hands." | "They don't think we're interested in their views, and that we've got our own little agenda, and here is a chance of narrowing that divide. We should actually seize it with both hands." |
| Organisers of the campaign, launched next to the Houses of Parliament, used an inflatable ballot box measuring about 15ft (4.5m) to get their message across. | Organisers of the campaign, launched next to the Houses of Parliament, used an inflatable ballot box measuring about 15ft (4.5m) to get their message across. |
| The initiative is also backed by Labour's Gisela Stuart and Graham Stringer, Conservative MPs Michael Gove, Nick Herbert, David Heathcoat-Amory and Greg Hands, as well as Mike Hancock of the Liberal Democrats. | |