Author Topic: MPs to debate EU referendum bill  (Read 546 times)

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Offline EC

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MPs to debate EU referendum bill
« on: November 22, 2013, 11:06:30 am »
Via the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/22/mps-eu-referendum-bill-debate

Quote
MPs are to debate a private member's bill designed to give the UK a guaranteed referendum on Britain's membership of the EU before 2017.

The debate was stalled a fortnight ago after mainly Labour MPs tried to talk the bill out.

MPs are expected to vote on Friday on an amendment, tabled by Adam Afriyie, the Conservative MP for Windsor, that would bring the referendum forward to 2014.

Although many Tory MPs agree with him, he is likely to attract limited support as Conservative MPs gather around the position adopted by No 10.

David Cameron has said he needs time to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU before he puts the new arrangement to a public vote after the next election – by 2017 at the latest.

More than 100 backbenchers have written to Afriyie telling him to drop the amendment, according to reports.

"The whole Tory party is united behind giving people a say," the Windsor MP said this week. "What we have here is a difference in timing. The reason 2014 is important is it is within this parliament. That is the only time we can guarantee to deliver something."

More at link.

This is dumb. We have a General Election due in 2015 anyway - just add the referendum question onto a separate ballot. Doing it next year would just be a needless expense.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2013, 11:06:59 am by EC »
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