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| Labour to abstain on next month's EU referendum bill | Labour to abstain on next month's EU referendum bill |
| (4 months later) | |
| Labour is to abstain on the private member's bill introducing a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union by 2017. | Labour is to abstain on the private member's bill introducing a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union by 2017. |
| The bill sponsored by Conservative backbencher James Wharton is due to have its second reading on 5 July and the Labour decision was denounced as weak by the Tory chairman, Grant Shapps. | The bill sponsored by Conservative backbencher James Wharton is due to have its second reading on 5 July and the Labour decision was denounced as weak by the Tory chairman, Grant Shapps. |
| Wharton has said he thinks his bill has a 50-50 chance of getting onto the statute book, but the Labour decision to abstain will help the bill get through to its next stage of detailed line-by-line examination in committee. Labour is divided on its long-term referendum stance but says it is committed to a plebiscite if there is a further significant proposed transfer of powers to Brussels. | Wharton has said he thinks his bill has a 50-50 chance of getting onto the statute book, but the Labour decision to abstain will help the bill get through to its next stage of detailed line-by-line examination in committee. Labour is divided on its long-term referendum stance but says it is committed to a plebiscite if there is a further significant proposed transfer of powers to Brussels. |
| The shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, has warned his party not to end up as the anti-referendum party. At present there are only 15 or so Labour MPs openly supporting an in-out referendum. | The shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, has warned his party not to end up as the anti-referendum party. At present there are only 15 or so Labour MPs openly supporting an in-out referendum. |
| David Cameron has said he wants a referendum to be held after negotiating a potential new relationship with the EU. He has told Conservative MPs to attend the vote on 5 July, even though it is a private member's bill. | David Cameron has said he wants a referendum to be held after negotiating a potential new relationship with the EU. He has told Conservative MPs to attend the vote on 5 July, even though it is a private member's bill. |
| In a note to Labour MPs, the party whips state: "This is a Tory gimmick, a political stunt and therefore we are suggesting colleagues do not need to be here, unless they are prepared to make a supportive speech on Labour's position. | In a note to Labour MPs, the party whips state: "This is a Tory gimmick, a political stunt and therefore we are suggesting colleagues do not need to be here, unless they are prepared to make a supportive speech on Labour's position. |
| "The PM has been forced into supporting this private member's bill because he's a weak leader and in hoc to his Eurosceptic backbenchers. He's conned his backbenchers into believing that this will become law and we will dismiss this as a political stunt that it is, saying it is quite wrong to use the mechanism of the private member's bill to bring in a major constitutional measure. | "The PM has been forced into supporting this private member's bill because he's a weak leader and in hoc to his Eurosceptic backbenchers. He's conned his backbenchers into believing that this will become law and we will dismiss this as a political stunt that it is, saying it is quite wrong to use the mechanism of the private member's bill to bring in a major constitutional measure. |
| "It is quite wrong to commit and legislate now for an in-out referendum, which would create four years of uncertainty, putting at risk the national interest by damaging both jobs and the economy." | "It is quite wrong to commit and legislate now for an in-out referendum, which would create four years of uncertainty, putting at risk the national interest by damaging both jobs and the economy." |
| Ironically, the Wharton bill, which is unlikely to make its way through the Lords, faces its toughest challenge in the Commons from Conservative MPs who table amendments demanding either an immediate in-our referendum, or negotiation red lines for Cameron in his future discussions with his EU partners. | Ironically, the Wharton bill, which is unlikely to make its way through the Lords, faces its toughest challenge in the Commons from Conservative MPs who table amendments demanding either an immediate in-our referendum, or negotiation red lines for Cameron in his future discussions with his EU partners. |
| The Tories immediately accused Labour of denying voters a say over whether Britain should quit the EU. | The Tories immediately accused Labour of denying voters a say over whether Britain should quit the EU. |
| Shapps said: "We want to allow the British people to decide our European future with an in-out referendum and we want to turn this commitment into law. Ed Miliband has made clear yet again that he is too weak to give his MPs, let alone the public, a say." | Shapps said: "We want to allow the British people to decide our European future with an in-out referendum and we want to turn this commitment into law. Ed Miliband has made clear yet again that he is too weak to give his MPs, let alone the public, a say." |
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