MP's to debate EU referendum

Originally Posted by Jimmy-J

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15425256


That's more than likely going to be a big fat NO to a referendum then.

well if they do defy cameron and vote for a referendum it looks like we may need a new government

Up to 70 Conservative MPs will today defy the Prime Minister and vote for a referendum on Britain’s future in the European Union.

http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16094882

They will be required to resign from government jobs, if they have them, but not to resign as MPs. So any ministers or private secretaries who vote with the rebels ought to resign.

[danielf]

Presumably they will be expected to stand as an independent candidate (if at all) at the next elections as well?

No, they won't, unless their local constituency Conservative Association is so peeved with their activities that it chooses to deselect them as the Conservative candidate. Which, given the general level of Euroscepticism in the grassroots of the party, is highly unlikely.

Originally Posted by Chris

No, they won't, unless their local constituency Conservative Association is so peeved with their activities that it chooses to deselect them as the Conservative candidate. Which, given the general level of Euroscepticism in the grassroots of the party, is highly unlikely.

I hope they do defy Cameron and vote for a referendum ,because at the end of the day the MP's are supposed to representing the views of their constituents not those of Cameron

It's live now. Hague is on his feet at the moment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/...00/9434799.stm

[Sirius]

Oh how i wish we could be given the chance to have a vote, Unfortunately as the Government knows that we would vote "Get us to hell out" they would never allow us the vote.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Sirius

Oh how i wish we could be given the chance to have a vote, Unfortunately as the Government knows that we would vote "Get us to hell out" they would never allow us the vote.

but come the next election we can vent our spleens and dump them in favour of those who oppose the eu .

It would be interesting to see a general election decided with Europe as the key issue but unfortunately it isn't going to happen. "It's the economy, stupid" ... almost always has been and almost always will be.

[Dai]

Seems to me that while the EU is battered and bloody would be absolutely the best time to make demands. Cameron talks the talk about repatriating powers from the EU but if he can't see the opportunity I have to doubt that he is sincere.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Chris

It would be interesting to see a general election decided with Europe as the key issue but unfortunately it isn't going to happen. "It's the economy, stupid" ... almost always has been and almost always will be.

yea fix the economy and end the cycle of bust and boom
followed by fix the economy and end the cycle of boom and bust

What would Cameron say in favour of the EU?

One of the problems I have with a referendum is the level of anger directed at the EU is matched by ignorance, on my part as well, of what the EU actually does. We see a lot of stories about the EU banning or changing the name of a multitude of things but I am not convinced by those stories, not least because they never come to pass. It reminds me of the Yes, Minster! episode where the Minster wilfully misinterprets a trivial EU mandate as 'banning the British sausage' in order to patriotically rail against it.

So what would those in favour of the EU say?

We had a referendum..it was reinterpreted by TPTB over time to suit themselves.Any further referendums would be treated the same. So let's save the money..it will only be wasted.

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Damien

So what would those in favour of the EU say?

It gives us somewhere we can dump our useless and/or possibly corrupt politicians.

Austin Mitchell, fully paid-up member of the Labour Backbench Awkward Squad, just gave a rather good speech in favour of the motion, railing against the 'abomination of democracy' that is three main parties all whipping against the motion.