MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tory MPs challenge Cameron: insist EU referendum be enshrined into law

Backbencher Peter Bone proposal could result in a significant Tory rebellion

A group of Tory MPs will attempt to force a House of Commons vote over a referendum on the UK’s European Union membership in a fresh blow to David Cameron’s authority. They have criticised the failure to include legislation paving the way for PM Cameron’s promised public vote on the EU.

Backbencher Peter Bone, who tabled the measure in the Commons, said he hoped to show the Tory leadership that there was “significant parliamentary demand” to enshrine the referendum pledge in law before the general election.

The Prime Minister earlier defended his approach of seeking fundamental reform and holding a referendum on membership before the end of 2017 as “logical, sensible, practical”.

In a speech in central London Mr Cameron lashed out at Tory “pessimists” demanding immediate withdrawal from the European Union following a series of interventions by party grandees calling for a British exit.

The Prime Minister said he believed it was “possible” to push through changes to the EU. “I am faced as I do so, if you like, by two groups of pessimists,” he said.

Mr Bone’s amendment to the Commons motion on the Queen’s Speech could result in a significant rebellion by Tory MPs if it is selected for a vote. He insisted he did not doubt the Prime Minister’s commitment to stage a referendum if the Tories won the next general election, but said including legislation in this session of Parliament would help ensure the vote went ahead even if Mr Cameron was not returned to No 10.

“What I am doing is helping the Prime Minister. The one reason he could not bring it forward is because of the Liberal Democrats”, he said adding that “I would expect the Lib Dems to vote against this and the Tories to vote for it; that will strengthen the hand of the Prime Minister”.

Mr Bone claimed to have already secured the backing of a number of Tory MPs for his amendment, including former leadership contender David Davis.

Tory MP Nadine Dorries said she was signing the rebel amendment on her first day back in the party, after having the whip suspended for six months. She declined to say how many other Conservatives would back the vote, but said it would be “more than it would have been a week ago” before the council elections.

“We send £53 million a day to Europe and we could do an awful lot of that money in terms of kick-starting growth and spending in the UK. We need that money here.

Europe is failing. It is dying on its feet. It is actually a very small part of our global economy. Instead of looking to a sick and ailing Europe we should be looking to a burgeoning, expanding economic market in countries like Brazil and India and Japan and China and other countries”.