This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/08/david-cameron-u-turn-britains-eu-membership-referendum
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron makes U-turn on Britain's EU membership referendum | David Cameron makes U-turn on Britain's EU membership referendum |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| David Cameron has not decided whether he will impose collective responsibility on ministers in the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, the prime minister’s spokeswoman said on Monday – contradicting newspaper accounts of his remarks in Bavaria on Sunday. | David Cameron has not decided whether he will impose collective responsibility on ministers in the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, the prime minister’s spokeswoman said on Monday – contradicting newspaper accounts of his remarks in Bavaria on Sunday. |
| The prime minister’s spokeswoman said that Cameron was only seeking at this stage to impose responsibility during the period of negotiations about a new relationship with the EU – a period that did not cover the timeframe around an eventual vote. | The prime minister’s spokeswoman said that Cameron was only seeking at this stage to impose responsibility during the period of negotiations about a new relationship with the EU – a period that did not cover the timeframe around an eventual vote. |
| Related: David Cameron indicates Tory ministers face sack if they back EU exit | |
| “The prime minister has set out his position during the negotiation and not beyond that,” Cameron’s spokeswoman said. | “The prime minister has set out his position during the negotiation and not beyond that,” Cameron’s spokeswoman said. |
| No 10 insisted Cameron had not backtracked in the face of hostility from Conservative ministers or leading figures on the backbenches responding newspaper reports on Monday morning of the prime minister’s remarks in Bavaria. | No 10 insisted Cameron had not backtracked in the face of hostility from Conservative ministers or leading figures on the backbenches responding newspaper reports on Monday morning of the prime minister’s remarks in Bavaria. |
| Instead, it insisted Cameron had been misinterpreted in a briefing he gave on Sunday, and that he did not realise until Monday. | Instead, it insisted Cameron had been misinterpreted in a briefing he gave on Sunday, and that he did not realise until Monday. |
| During the briefing on Sunday, Cameron was specifically asked about whether ministers would need to resign over a referendum. During his briefing Cameron was asked on Sunday: “Can I just check, on the EU referendum, have you absolutely closed your mind to allowing ministers a free vote? That’s a no-no?” | During the briefing on Sunday, Cameron was specifically asked about whether ministers would need to resign over a referendum. During his briefing Cameron was asked on Sunday: “Can I just check, on the EU referendum, have you absolutely closed your mind to allowing ministers a free vote? That’s a no-no?” |
| Cameron replied: “I’ve been very clear, which is I’ve said that if you want to be part of the government, you have to take the view that we are engaged in an exercise of renegotiation to have a referendum, and that will lead to a successful outcome.” | Cameron replied: “I’ve been very clear, which is I’ve said that if you want to be part of the government, you have to take the view that we are engaged in an exercise of renegotiation to have a referendum, and that will lead to a successful outcome.” |
| Membership Event: Guardian Newsroom: Brexit - what would happen if Britain left the EU? | |
| The prime minister was then asked: “So anyone in government who opposes that will have to resign?” | The prime minister was then asked: “So anyone in government who opposes that will have to resign?” |
| He replied: “Everyone in government has signed up to the programme set out in the Conservative manifesto.” | He replied: “Everyone in government has signed up to the programme set out in the Conservative manifesto.” |
| Downing Street was aware of the newspaper reports for at least 12 hours before issuing their denial of the reports. | Downing Street was aware of the newspaper reports for at least 12 hours before issuing their denial of the reports. |
| The PM’s spokeswoman said: “The position is the prime minister has not set out his position. The prime minister was clearly taking about collective responsibility during the renegotiation.” | The PM’s spokeswoman said: “The position is the prime minister has not set out his position. The prime minister was clearly taking about collective responsibility during the renegotiation.” |
| It is hard to see how the issue of collective responsibility becomes a live issue during a renegotiation since it is hard to see on what issue a minister would seek to express dissent during the negotiation. | It is hard to see how the issue of collective responsibility becomes a live issue during a renegotiation since it is hard to see on what issue a minister would seek to express dissent during the negotiation. |