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| New Conservative EU referendum bill debated by MPs | New Conservative EU referendum bill debated by MPs |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives are trying for a second time to legislate in the House of Commons for an EU referendum. | The Conservatives are trying for a second time to legislate in the House of Commons for an EU referendum. |
| MPs are debating a bill tabled by Bob Neill to enshrine into law the party's commitment for an EU vote by 2017. | MPs are debating a bill tabled by Bob Neill to enshrine into law the party's commitment for an EU vote by 2017. |
| MPs approved a similar bill earlier this year but the legislation foundered in the House of Lords when it ran out of parliamentary debating time amid Labour and Liberal Democrat opposition. | MPs approved a similar bill earlier this year but the legislation foundered in the House of Lords when it ran out of parliamentary debating time amid Labour and Liberal Democrat opposition. |
| With the election in May, Mr Neill's bill could suffer the same fate. | With the election in May, Mr Neill's bill could suffer the same fate. |
| David Cameron has said he will seek to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership if he leads the next government - and has insisted he will not stay as prime minister if he cannot fulfil this pledge. | David Cameron has said he will seek to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership if he leads the next government - and has insisted he will not stay as prime minister if he cannot fulfil this pledge. |
| He has argued that the UK needs a "better deal" on issues such as immigration, welfare and financial regulation although he is under pressure from Tory MPs to spell out what powers he will seek to claw back and what he will do in the event of not getting the concessions he wants. | He has argued that the UK needs a "better deal" on issues such as immigration, welfare and financial regulation although he is under pressure from Tory MPs to spell out what powers he will seek to claw back and what he will do in the event of not getting the concessions he wants. |
| Breakfast meeting | Breakfast meeting |
| Mr Neil's Private Member's Bill, which is being debated for the first time, would make provision for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU by the end of 2017. | Mr Neil's Private Member's Bill, which is being debated for the first time, would make provision for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU by the end of 2017. |
| Opening the debate, the MP for Bromley and Chislehurst said his bill was "about choice". | Opening the debate, the MP for Bromley and Chislehurst said his bill was "about choice". |
| "It's about giving the British people a choice of something that is fundamental to our constitutional arrangements and fundamental to our future," he told MPs. | "It's about giving the British people a choice of something that is fundamental to our constitutional arrangements and fundamental to our future," he told MPs. |
| Labour eurosceptic Kate Hoey, who believes her party should back a referendum, said: "I just do not understand how anyone can make a reasoned case for not supporting this bill." | Labour eurosceptic Kate Hoey, who believes her party should back a referendum, said: "I just do not understand how anyone can make a reasoned case for not supporting this bill." |
| Supporting the bill, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond drew parallels with the referendum on Scottish independence held last month, saying it was right to give British people a say. | |
| 'Superstate' | |
| The European Union had "morphed from a common market into a putative superstate", he said. | The European Union had "morphed from a common market into a putative superstate", he said. |
| "Ever closer union has led to ever greater disillusion," he said, adding that the issue needed to be settled "once and for all for the sake of Britain". | "Ever closer union has led to ever greater disillusion," he said, adding that the issue needed to be settled "once and for all for the sake of Britain". |
| Labour MP Mike Gapes asked why 16 and 17-year-olds would not be allowed to vote in the referendum under the Conservatives' proposals, as they did in the Scottish poll. | Labour MP Mike Gapes asked why 16 and 17-year-olds would not be allowed to vote in the referendum under the Conservatives' proposals, as they did in the Scottish poll. |
| Analysis by parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy | Analysis by parliamentary correspondent Mark D'Arcy |
| It's the second coming of the EU Referendum Bill - so here's how I expect the morning to unfold. | It's the second coming of the EU Referendum Bill - so here's how I expect the morning to unfold. |
| Conservative MPs have been entertained with bacon butties in No 10, to fortify them for the debate ahead. I'm told John Redwood, Michael Fallon and Michael Gove were spotted. Picking bacon from between their teeth, they have gathered in the Chamber. | Conservative MPs have been entertained with bacon butties in No 10, to fortify them for the debate ahead. I'm told John Redwood, Michael Fallon and Michael Gove were spotted. Picking bacon from between their teeth, they have gathered in the Chamber. |
| Read more from Mark | Read more from Mark |
| Mr Hammond said it was right to use the general election franchise for a vote of the whole of the United Kingdom. | |
| Conservative backbencher Peter Bone said that while he supported the bill, it had "no chance" of getting on the statute book because of the parliamentary timetable. | |
| And for Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said holding an EU referendum on an "arbitrary date", which "puts jobs and investment at risk", was not in the national interest. | |
| Instead, he said a future Labour government would legislate so more powers could not be transferred from Britain to the EU without an in/out referendum. | |
| Labour MPs have largely stayed away from the second reading debate, giving Conservatives an opportunity to air their concerns over a range of European matters, including the UK's adherence to the European Arrest Warrant amid reported Cabinet tensions over its future. | |
| With a general election just over six months away, Mr Neill's bill could go the same way as James Wharton's proposed legislation on the same subject earlier this year. | |
| This bill passed the Commons but was dropped after becoming stalled in the Lords - amid Conservative accusations of Labour and Lib Dem filibustering. | This bill passed the Commons but was dropped after becoming stalled in the Lords - amid Conservative accusations of Labour and Lib Dem filibustering. |
| Ahead of the debate on the bill, Conservative MPs - who are being whipped to support it - were called to a breakfast meeting in No 10 by chief whip Michael Gove. | Ahead of the debate on the bill, Conservative MPs - who are being whipped to support it - were called to a breakfast meeting in No 10 by chief whip Michael Gove. |
| Only a handful of Lib Dems are present for Friday's debate. The Lib Dems say the coalition has already legislated for this to happen. A law passed in 2011 guarantees a vote in the event of a new treaty or change to an existing treaty resulting in a shift of powers. | |
| UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who wants the UK to leave the European Union, has urged Mr Cameron to bring forward the referendum to 2016. | UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who wants the UK to leave the European Union, has urged Mr Cameron to bring forward the referendum to 2016. |