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Tories to publish details of draft EU referendum bill Tories to publish details of draft EU referendum bill
(about 9 hours later)
The Conservative Party will publish a draft parliamentary bill on Tuesday to legislate for an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union to be held by the end of 2017. The Conservatives are to publish a draft parliamentary bill to legislate for an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union to be held by the end of 2017.
The development comes amid growing ructions in the party over whether the UK should stay in or leave the EU. The move is an attempt to show David Cameron is serious about a referendum pledge he made earlier this year.
David Cameron is under pressure to show he is serious about a referendum pledge he made earlier this year. It comes amid growing ructions among Conservatives over Europe.
The bill could be tabled for debate in the Commons by a Tory backbencher.
But the move has been criticised by the Lib Dems and Labour, while one Tory MP said the "ploy could fail".But the move has been criticised by the Lib Dems and Labour, while one Tory MP said the "ploy could fail".
The prime minister has pledged to hold a referendum before the end of 2017 if the Conservatives win the next election but many of his MPs want a vote sooner or, at the least, a binding commitment to hold one approved by Parliament. The prime minister has pledged to renegotiate the UK's relations with the EU and then hold an in-out referendum before the end of 2017 if the Conservatives win the next election.
MPs are seeking to force a vote on the issue - expressing their regret that there was no mention of a future referendum in the government's legislative programme for the next year - as early as Wednesday. But many of his MPs want a vote sooner or, at the very least, a bill committing to a referendum put before Parliament.
'False choice' MPs are seeking to force a vote on the issue - expressing their regret that there was no mention of a future referendum in the Queen's Speech - on Wednesday.
Up to 70 MPs - including a number of Conservative ministerial aides - have said they will support the move.Up to 70 MPs - including a number of Conservative ministerial aides - have said they will support the move.
Speaking earlier on Monday, Mr Cameron - who is on a trip to the US - said it was in the "national interest" to renegotiate its relationship with the 27-member union and seek the endorsement of the public for the changes in a referendum. But in an attempt to dissuade them, draft legislation on a referendum is expected to be published by the Conservatives, with the idea that it could be brought to the Commons for debate by a Tory backbencher in the form of a so-called private member's bill.
But he said having a referendum now, instead of at the end of what is likely to be a two-year negotiating process - would provide a "false choice" between the status quo and an immediate exit. The ballot for private members' bills will be held on Thursday and to have any chance of becoming law, such a bill would require the government to give up parliamentary time to allow it to be debated in detail.
The publication of a draft bill comes after days of sniping among Conservative MPs about European policy. The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the Conservatives were pursuing this route because they assume that their Liberal Democrat coalition partners would block any move by the government to allow MPs to debate an EU referendum.
Two senior Cabinet ministers have said they would vote to quit the EU if a poll was held straight away while eurosceptic backbenchers have suggested legislation paving the way for a poll is needed to reassure the public. However, Nick Clegg's office is reported to have said he would also refuse to allow government time for any EU private member's bill to be debated.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Cameron - who is on a trip to the US - said it was in the "national interest" to renegotiate the UK's relationship with EU before holding a referendum.
Having one now, would provide a "false choice" between the status quo and an immediate exit, he said.
Nevertheless, two senior cabinet ministers have said publicly they would vote to quit the EU if a poll was held straight away.
But more pro-European Tories have warned against a "kneejerk reaction" and said there must be an orderly process leading up to any vote over the UK's future in the EU.But more pro-European Tories have warned against a "kneejerk reaction" and said there must be an orderly process leading up to any vote over the UK's future in the EU.
At the same time, the UK Independence Party - which campaigns for a UK exit - has raised the possibility of Conservative and Labour candidates who favour withdrawal standing under a joint banner with UKIP at the next election. 'Seize the moment'
The publication of the draft bill comes ahead of the ballot for so-called "private members bills" on Thursday. Tory MP John Baron, a Eurosceptic, said any draft bill could get "bogged down by a determined minority" and fail.
To have any chance of becoming law, a private member's bill would require the government to give up parliamentary time to allow it to be debated in detail. Instead Mr Cameron should have the "courage" to support the Queen's Speech amendment, which would "force Labour and the liberals to decide" their position on the EU.
BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the prime minister has been examining all possibilities to ensure that the House of Commons can vote on the Bill. "If we won, the prime minister would then have the mandate to introduce legislation through the normal channels which would have a far better chance of success," Mr Baron told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
The Conservatives were pursuing this route, he said, because they assume that their Liberal Democrat coalition partners will block any move by the government to allow MPs to debate an EU referendum. "The prime minister should seize the moment presented by our amendment. He can legitimately claim to the liberals that the situation was not of his making and therefore not within the confines of coalition agreement."
Mr Cameron, he added, was determined to show the Conservatives are the only one of the three largest parties committed to a referendum and is hoping to put both his deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband on the spot on this issue. Labour says committing to hold a referendum in four years' time makes no sense and creates uncertainty at a time when securing economic recovery should be the government's priority.
'Not good enough'
But Conservative Eurosceptic MP John Baron suggested the prime minister should have the "courage" to force a showdown over the issue as soon as possible.
"Simply publishing legislation is not good enough because it does not necessarily become legislation," he told the BBC News Channel.
"We should have legislation in this Parliament to make it abundantly clear to the British people that we are serious about a referendum...
"We must remember the political establishment has denied the electorate a genuine choice on this matter for too long."
Labour said committing to hold a referendum in four years' time made no sense and would create uncertainty at a time when securing economic recovery should be the government's priority.
"This seems to be just the latest panicked response from the prime minister who is now following, rather than leading, his backbenchers," said shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander."This seems to be just the latest panicked response from the prime minister who is now following, rather than leading, his backbenchers," said shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander.
The Lib Dems said the government had already legislated to seek public approval before any further powers were handed to Brussels, and having a referendum "in response to nothing" was self-defeating and a distraction.The Lib Dems said the government had already legislated to seek public approval before any further powers were handed to Brussels, and having a referendum "in response to nothing" was self-defeating and a distraction.
The party's president Tim Farron said the Conservatives' strategy was "in chaos".The party's president Tim Farron said the Conservatives' strategy was "in chaos".
At the same time, the UK Independence Party - which campaigns for a UK exit - has raised the possibility of Conservative and Labour candidates who favour withdrawal standing under a joint banner with UKIP at the next election.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage described the bill as "nothing more than gesture politics".UKIP leader Nigel Farage described the bill as "nothing more than gesture politics".
Speaking at a joint news conference with Mr Cameron in the White House, US President Barack Obama said an "outward-looking", internationally engaged Britain strengthened the special relationship between the two countries.
While it was up to the British people to decide, he said he agreed with the prime minister that "you probably want to see if you can fix what's broken in a very important relationship before you break it off".