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| UK vote on European Union 'will not be on 5 May' | UK vote on European Union 'will not be on 5 May' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The referendum on whether or not the UK should remain in the European Union will not take place on 5 May next year, the government says. | The referendum on whether or not the UK should remain in the European Union will not take place on 5 May next year, the government says. |
| Ministers tabled an amendment to the EU referendum bill on Monday evening, ruling out a vote on that date. | Ministers tabled an amendment to the EU referendum bill on Monday evening, ruling out a vote on that date. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said the move was a concession to MPs' concerns. | A Downing Street spokesman said the move was a concession to MPs' concerns. |
| He said: "We have listened to the views expressed by MPs across the house and decided that we won't hold the referendum on 5 May 2016." | He said: "We have listened to the views expressed by MPs across the house and decided that we won't hold the referendum on 5 May 2016." |
| That date is the same day elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies are being held, along with the London mayoral election. | That date is the same day elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies are being held, along with the London mayoral election. |
| Elections will also be held that day in 126 English local authorities, and all Welsh and Scottish councils. | Elections will also be held that day in 126 English local authorities, and all Welsh and Scottish councils. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to obtain a "better deal" for the UK in Europe in advance of the vote, which he has promised to hold by the end of 2017. | |
| Last week, MPs overwhelmingly backed plans for a referendum, allowing the legislation to move to the next stage of its progress through Parliament. | |
| It still has several more stages to pass through, however. | |
| Analysis | |
| By BBC Newsnight's Allegra Stratton and James Clayton | |
| There had been a move among the prime minister's team to bring the poll forward. | |
| Downing Street advisers argued that staging the referendum poll on the same day as next year's local and mayoral elections could drive up turnout for the referendum among some of Britain's most pro-European regions. | |
| They also wanted the prime minister to stage an early referendum to allow the Conservative party to capitalise on goodwill, after winning its first majority in 23 years. | |
| Eurosceptic MPs were dismayed at the idea, believing the prime minister was trying to rush the process. | |
| Opposition politicians, including the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman Alex Salmond, argued that such an important decision should not be held on the same day as other elections. | |
| Read more on this here |