David Cameron's dramatic decision to publish a draft Bill on the EU referendum appeared to have failed to quell backbench rebellion over Europe today, as Tory MPs insisted they would press ahead with plans to vote against the Government's Queen's Speech.
Conservatives will today publish draft legislation paving the way for a referendum by 2017 on the UK’s membership of the EU, in the hope that a backbench MP will table it as a Private Member’s Bill. Mr Cameron is unable to put the Bill forward as Government legislation because of opposition from his Liberal Democrat coalition partners, who have said they are “nonplussed” by the latest Tory gambit.
But Foreign Secretary William Hague said the move would force Labour and the Lib Dems to "show their hand" on Europe and make clear whether they are willing to match the Tories' commitment to offer the public a referendum following renegotiation of Britain's relationship with the EU after the 2015 election.
Amid Labour claims that Mr Cameron has lost control of his party, Mr Hague insisted that the PM had been looking for some time for ways to strengthen his commitment to a referendum. The timing of the publication was dictated by the ballot in the House of Commons on Thursday to choose which MPs will be allowed to table Private Member’s Bills, and not by the strong showing for the Eurosceptic UK Indepence Party in this month’s council elections, he said.
Mr Hague told Sky News: “When the dust settles on all the speculation about Europe over the last few days, what is clear is that the Conservative Party is solidly committed and very united behind that commitment to a referendum in the next Parliament, and other parties have either set their face against that or, in some cases, their MPs are now saying they ought to contemplate a referendum.
“They will now have to show their hand.”
The Foreign Secretary said that the draft Bill would show that “even though we can’t pass legislation as the Government in this Parliament, we really do mean to have that referendum by the end of 2017 after seeking a new settlement with the European Union”.
And he added: “We had a range of options. We would have done this or some other similar option because we do want to reinforce our commitment. The Prime Minister said before the local elections, before the Ukip local election results, that we were looking for ways of doing that and open to ways of doing that.
“I think it’s the right thing to do for the country. Holding a referendum after seeking a new settlement in Europe would be the right thing to do for the country, so, since we are putting that forward, let other people now say what their position is.”
Mr Cameron’s move, announced last night during his visit to the US, received a lukewarm reception from the Tory MPs behind a challenge to the Government’s legislative agenda, which is expected to be put to a divisive vote in the Commons tomorrow.
An amendment tabled by John Baron and Peter Bone, "respectfully regretting" that there was no room in the Queen's Speech for legislation on an EU referendum, has now been signed by 78 MPs.
Mr Baron said that, although the move by No 10 was a “step in the right direction”, it was a “second-best offer” and he will continue to press for support for his amendment.
“I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in many respects,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. “The Prime Minister should seize the moment presented by our amendment.
“He can legitimately say to the Liberals that the situation is not of his making and therefore not within the confines of the Coalition Agreement.”
He added: "This is not a matter of trust between David Cameron and the Conservative Party — it's a matter of trust between politicians and the electorate."
Mr Bone said: “If we can win the vote on Wednesday, the Prime Minister can go to the Deputy Prime Minister and say Parliament has spoken, we must introduce this as a Government Bill.”
- PA