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EU referendum: Row over government spending £9m on leaflets to every home EU referendum: Row over government spending £9m on leaflets to every home
(about 1 hour later)
A row has erupted over a £9m campaign to promote Britain's EU membership, with Leave campaigners accusing ministers of misusing public funds.A row has erupted over a £9m campaign to promote Britain's EU membership, with Leave campaigners accusing ministers of misusing public funds.
Cabinet minister Michael Fallon said the leaflets to be sent to every UK home were a "moderate" response to a public demand for information.Cabinet minister Michael Fallon said the leaflets to be sent to every UK home were a "moderate" response to a public demand for information.
But Leave campaigners are angry about what they see as biased propaganda.But Leave campaigners are angry about what they see as biased propaganda.
Tory MP Liam Fox is to launch an online petition to stop to the leaflets being sent to 27 million homes. Tory MP Liam Fox is to launch an online petition to stop the leaflets being sent to 27 million homes.
A separate petition launched by the Get Britain Out group has already gained more than 30,000 signatures - it needs 100,00 to be considered for a debate in Parliament. A separate petition launched by the Get Britain Out group has already gained more than 30,000 signatures - it needs 100,000 to be considered for a debate in Parliament.
Eurosceptic MPs have long feared that ministers may try to sway the outcome of the vote by using the full weight of the civil service machine to push the case for staying in. Eurosceptic MPs have long feared that ministers would try to sway the outcome of Britain's referendum on EU membership, on 23 June, by using the full weight of the civil service machine to push the case for staying in.
They forced the government to back down on plans to relax the rules limiting ministerial activity in the immediate run up to the poll - on 23 June - last autumn. They had managed to get ministers to agree to limiting government propaganda in the weeks running up to the referendum campaign.
'Not neutral' But the leaflets, bearing the official HM government stamp but not the face of David Cameron or any other ministers, are due to start landing on doormats in England next week, with the rest of the UK to follow.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4 Today, Labour MP and Leave campaigner Graham Stringer said it was "an outrageous use of taxpayers' money". The leaflet claims that a vote to leave the EU would cause an economic shock that "would risk higher prices of some household goods and damage living standards".
He conceded there was a "thirst" among the British public for facts but argued that the leaflets were "very biased", and claimed the government had broken "a pledge" to have any facts independently verified. It further claims that the only way to "protect jobs, provide security, and strengthen the UK's economy" is by staying in the EU, arguing that leaving would create risk and uncertainty.
"It's clearly unfair," he added, noting that the Leave campaign was restricted to spending £7m during the whole referendum campaign. Labour MP Gisela Stuart, who chairs pro-exit campaign group Vote Leave, said: "This is not the facts, it is a misleading government propaganda campaign paid for by hard-working taxpayers who would rather see their money spent on their priorities."
Mr Stringer claimed the move was a tactic by the government to divert attention away from Mr Cameron's "immediate problems about his income" - following questions over an investment fund set up by his father, Ian Cameron. She said the public wanted "an honest debate" not "an attempt by the prime minister to buy the referendum result" with taxpayers' money.
But Defence Secretary Mr Fallon dismissed the accusation, saying the leaflet "has been weeks in preparation". London Mayor Boris Johnson - a prominent figure in the exit campaign - claimed it showed the government was "losing the argument" and did not want "a fair fight".
Defending its contents, he told Today: "The government is not neutral in this particular battle. The government takes the view that we would be better off, safer and stronger inside a reformed Europe." But Defence Secretary Mr Fallon defended the government over the leaflet, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The government is not neutral in this particular battle. The government takes the view that we would be better off, safer and stronger inside a reformed Europe."
And he said there was a precedent for such action: "We're entitled as the democratically elected government to set out our view, as government have done in every referendum we've had going all the away back to the original Europe referendum back in 1975."And he said there was a precedent for such action: "We're entitled as the democratically elected government to set out our view, as government have done in every referendum we've had going all the away back to the original Europe referendum back in 1975."
'Undermine faith' He said 80% of the British public wanted more information about the referendum and the government was "giving the facts and the government's judgement to go with these facts".
Mr Fallon added that 80% of the British public wanted more information about the referendum and said the government was "giving the facts and the government's judgement to go with these facts". "It is rather restrained and moderate, it does not make extravagant claims about the case for staying in," he added.
He added: "It is rather restrained and moderate, it does not make extravagant claims about the case for staying in." Former minister Liam Fox says he will launch a petition to secure a debate in Parliament on "so we can make known our outrage" at the government's behaviour. He said he would be returning his leaflet to Downing Street and urged others to do the same.
Former minister Liam Fox says he will launch a petition to secure a debate in Parliament on "so we can make known our outrage" at the government's behaviour. He said he would be returning his leaflet to Downing Street and urged others to do the same.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Reform Society said the leaflets call into question whether there's a "level playing field" in the campaign and warned it could "undermine public faith" in the vote.
"The government may be acting within the rules… but the spirit of a good referendum campaign is to make sure voters get both sides of the argument presented in equal measure to help them make an informed decision," said chief executive Katie Ghose.
London mayor Boris Johnson - a prominent figure in the Out campaign - said it was wrong to try to "stampede" voters while UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who is also pushing for an EU exit, said the document was "full of lies".
Campaign rules
Royal Mail will start delivering the leaflets - entitled Why the Government Believes That Voting to Remain in the EU is the Best Decision for the UK - to households in England next week and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after the 5 May devolved elections.Royal Mail will start delivering the leaflets - entitled Why the Government Believes That Voting to Remain in the EU is the Best Decision for the UK - to households in England next week and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland after the 5 May devolved elections.
A digital version will be advertised on social media and available on a new website. A digital version will be advertised on social media and available on a new website. The government says the mail drop will cost £9.3m, or about 34p per household.
The government says the mail drop will cost £9.3m, or about 34p per household.
The decision to send the leaflet was agreed by the Cabinet sub-committee on the EU and was signed off by Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood.
The designated Leave campaign, and its Remain opponent, will be able to spend up to £7m each on advertising and promotion once the official campaign period starts next week. This includes £600,000 of public grants set aside for free mailshots and TV broadcasts.