Eurosceptic Tory MPs could rebel over 'purdah' rules
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Version 0 of 1. David Cameron is facing the threat of a fresh rebellion by eurosceptic Tory MPs next week after they dismissed an apparent U-turn by ministers on the rules on government activity during the final phase of the EU referendum campaign. Steve Baker, a leading member of the Conservatives for Britain group, accused the government of making no substantive changes after ministers decided to give themselves leeway to use the Whitehall machinery in the “purdah” period. Baker, whose members may stage a new rebellion when the EU referendum bill reaches its final commons stages on Monday, spoke out after the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, submitted a series of amendments shortly before a 4.30pm deadline on Wednesday. The amendments cover the new wording of the referendum question in the wake of a recommendation by the electoral commission earlier this week that voters should be asked if they want to leave or remain in the EU. Hammond will also tighten the rules governing the final four weeks of the referendum campaign after ministers initially decided to exempt themselves from the strict rules which usually restrict government activity in this period in a referendum campaign. The government had originally planned to modify section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 which imposed the purdah restrictions. The new amendments, which will be published on Thursday, are designed to reinstate elements of the rules from the 2000 act by banning the government from addressing the question of whether Britain should remain in the EU or leave the EU. But the amendments allow the government to use the machinery of Whitehall to communicate its thinking in any area not mentioned in the bill, such as a judgment by the European Court of Justice or the outcome of an EU summit, if they do not relate to the wording of the referendum question. Eurosceptics are suspicious of a second element in the new amendments – a government decision to allow itself to bring forward regulations to modify the purdah section of the bill. This would be done through secondary legislation once the bill has entered the statute book to allow ministers to explain the outcome of the prime minister’s EU renegotiation through “normal communication channels” – Whitehall communication departments. Baker said: “On purdah, we are not much further forward than we were months ago because the amendment allows the minister to make provision through regulations to modify section 125 after consulting the electoral commission. The way parliament actually works means the government has a very wide scope to do what it wishes later. Although this can be presented as a capitulation – reinstating section 125 – actually, there is enormous scope for the government to give itself exemptions. “We were expecting specific exemptions to be placed into the legislation now so it doesn’t really go far enough. Once again, we will be asked to accept ministerial reassurances, in other words politicians’ promises, that they will restrain themselves. That really is where we were months ago.” David Lidington, the Europe minister, said: “Today’s amendments deliver on the commitment I made in June to take into account concerns about activity in the final four weeks before the referendum while ensuring that we can continue to fight Britain’s corner in Brussels on ongoing EU business and make it possible for ministers, subject to parliamentary approval, to communicate a position on the referendum in restrained and moderate terms.” |