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Ed Miliband outlines Labour's EU referendum policy Ed Miliband outlines Labour's EU referendum policy
(35 minutes later)
A future Labour government would call an in/out referendum on the UK's membership of the EU - but only if it was being asked to transfer more powers to Brussels, Ed Miliband has said.A future Labour government would call an in/out referendum on the UK's membership of the EU - but only if it was being asked to transfer more powers to Brussels, Ed Miliband has said.
In an article for the Financial Times, the Labour leader said his party "strongly believes Britain's future is in the EU".In an article for the Financial Times, the Labour leader said his party "strongly believes Britain's future is in the EU".
He also criticised the Conservatives' "damaging obsession" with EU policy.He also criticised the Conservatives' "damaging obsession" with EU policy.
He is expected to give more details in a speech on Wednesday. But PM David Cameron said only his party could "guarantee" an in/out poll.
The party has previously backed holding a referendum if it is proposed that further powers are transferred to Brussels. "By his own admission, Ed Miliband says it's unlikely there'll be an in-out referendum on Europe under Labour," the prime minister said on Twitter.
But Mr Miliband has now clarified that this would be an in/out referendum. Mr Miliband is expected to unveil more details in a speech on Wednesday.
His party has previously backed holding a referendum if it is proposed that further powers are transferred to Brussels.
But the Labour leader has now clarified that this would be an in/out referendum.
'Hugely excited'
"This would not just be a referendum on the narrow question of whether to allow a transfer of powers from Britain to Brussels; as we have seen in other countries, such votes are too easily ignored," he wrote."This would not just be a referendum on the narrow question of whether to allow a transfer of powers from Britain to Brussels; as we have seen in other countries, such votes are too easily ignored," he wrote.
He also criticised Prime Minister David Cameron's promise of an in/out referendum in 2017, which he described as an "arbitrary timetable" ensuring that "a Conservative government would be dominated by an all-consuming and damaging obsession within his party about whether Britain should leave the EU". He also criticised Mr Cameron's promise of an in/out referendum in 2017, which he described as an "arbitrary timetable" ensuring that "a Conservative government would be dominated by an all-consuming and damaging obsession within his party about whether Britain should leave the EU".
Mr Miliband argued that the reforms required in the EU can be achieved without a new treaty. Mr Miliband argued that reforms were required in the EU, including by "completing the single market in energy, services and the digital economy", lengthening the transitional period during which restrictions can be curbed on immigration from new member states, and making it easier to deport recent immigrants who have broken the law.
In practice, this would mean that an in/out referendum is unlikely to take place under Labour, BBC political editor Nick Robinson said. But these reforms could be achieved without a new treaty, he argued.
"The Labour leader's hope and aim is to avoid an in/out vote," BBC political editor Nick Robinson said.
"His promise, however, is that he'll deliver one if, for some reason, he decides Brussels needs more power than it has already."
But Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "I'm very happy. It's hugely exciting because this is the first time a Labour leader has said the words 'in/out referendum'.
"They're only a few words but they're very important.
"There's such a move towards federalism within the EU that it's inevitable there will be some kind of transfer of power which means this referendum will happen, even if Ed Miliband seems to think it's unlikely at the moment."
The coalition has already enshrined in law a so-called referendum lock, promising a vote on whether to transfer further powers to Brussels if the situation arises - but not on whether to leave the EU.The coalition has already enshrined in law a so-called referendum lock, promising a vote on whether to transfer further powers to Brussels if the situation arises - but not on whether to leave the EU.
Conservative attempts to legislate for an in/out referendum in 2017 have been thwarted by the Liberal Democrats, which party leader and deputy PM Nick Clegg describes as "Britain's only party of in". Conservative attempts to legislate for an in/out referendum in 2017 have been thwarted by the Liberal Democrats, which party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg describes as "Britain's only party of in".
In January 2013, Mr Cameron pledged that a future Conservative majority government would renegotiate the UK's relationship with the EU and then give British people the "simple choice" between staying in under those new terms, or leaving the EU.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage last week reiterated his party's belief that "the majority of British people who want our relationship with Europe to be one of trade and co-operation but not one of political union".