EU Referendum Bill Heads To Parliament

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Via Sky News: http://news.sky.com/story/1111790/eu-referendum-bill-heads-to-parliament

Legislation enshrining David Cameron's pledge for a referendum on Britain's EU membership into law is set to be backed by Tory MPs later today.

The Prime Minister rallied his party on Thursday night to "give the British people their say on Europe" by backing the private member's Bill tabled by backbencher James Wharton.

Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs are expected to stay away from Westminster for the debate, dismissing the legislation - which has a slim chance of becoming law - as a political stunt.

It is designed to cement the PM's promise if re-elected in 2015 to seek to renegotiate the UK's relationship with Brussels and put the resulting deal to an in/out referendum by the end of 2017.

In May, 115 Tory MPs backed an amendment to the Queen's Speech criticising the failure to include a referendum bill after it was blocked from being part of the Government's legislative programme by the Lib Dems.

On Thursday night there was more harmony in the ranks as Mr Cameron hosted a barbecue for Conservative MPs in the garden of 10 Downing Street as part of efforts to nurture relations with a restive parliamentary party.

More at link.

It'll fail. We have been promised a referendum since 1987. Never got one.