Eurosceptic ministers told to abstain on EU rebel vote
Eurosceptic ministers have been told not to vote for a rebel amendment demanding legislation to guarantee a referendum on Britain's EU membership.
Downing Street indicated that David Cameron was "relaxed" about the idea of Tory MPs attacking his Government's own Queen's Speech in the Commons lobbies.
At least 100 are tipped to back the move if the amendment is selected by Speaker John Bercow for debate on Wednesday, with cabinet ministers such as Ian Duncan Smith thought to be among them.
It is understood that free voting will be extended only to backbench MPs with ministers abstaining.
It remained unclear whether their parliamentary private secretaries - Commons aides to ministers - would be allowed to join the rebels.Conservative unrest over the European issue has been inflamed by the electoral success of the anti-EU UK Independence Party and Tory grandees advocating withdrawal.
Nadine Dorries, who has been reinstated as a Conservative MP after her suspension, has said David Cameron and George Osborne's "outlook on immigration has changed."
Dorries, MP for Mid Bedfordshire, has in the past labelled Cameron and Osborne "arrogant" and "out of touch" and has called for a referendum on EU membership.
However, after being quizzed by ITV News Political Editor Tom Bradby on her views, she said: "I do think their outlook has changed, particularly on issues like immigration."
A group of Tory MPs will attempt to force a Commons vote over a referendum on the UK's European Union membership on Tuesday.
The Tory MPs backing the call for an EU referendum include:
Hardline Eurosceptic MP Peter Bone has said he hoped to show the Tory leadership that there was "significant parliamentary demand" for the EU referendum pledge.
Tory John Baron, who also tabled the amendment, organised a letter signed by dozens of Conservative MPs demanding referendum legislation.
Former Cabinet minister Michael Portillo has followed ex-chancellor Lord Lawson in calling for the UK to leave the EU.
Lord Lamont, another former Tory chancellor, joined the stampede of former Tory cabinet ministers saying it was possible for the UK to survive outside the EU.
Nadine Dorries, the MP who was handed back the Conservative whip only on Wednesday, said she would be joining the rebellion.
A group of Conservative MPs will attempt to force a Commons vote over a referendum on the UK's European Union membership next week.
David Cameron is under pressure to a hold 'mandate referendum'. Credit: PA
The MPs are seeking to engineer a vote on an EU referendum by tabling an amendment to the Queen's speech.
Prime Minister David Cameron earlier defended his approach of seeking fundamental reform and holding a referendum on membership before the end of 2017.
Weekend opinion polls showed a clear public majority for cutting ties with Brussels as pressure mounted on David Cameron to set out plans for a referendum on the issue.
David Cameron is facing pressure to hold a referendum on Europe Credit: PA Wire
He faces a tricky summit on Thursday when leaders gather to thrash out the EU's future budget, and he has threatened to veto anything other than a real-terms freeze.
Labour joined forces with Tory rebels to inflict a Commons defeat on the Government by backing a real-terms cut in the 2014-20 package - leading to accusations of opportunism.
Labour could offer a referendum on Britain’s European Union membership at the next election, its policy director Jon Cruddas told The Daily Telegraph.
The opposition party would consider “in depth” whether to hand the vote to the public as it drafts its next manifesto, according to Cruddas, who is chairing Labour’s policy review.
“It’s something we will be looking at in depth in the policy review. At some stage there is going to have to be some resolution of what our relationship is here and what format that takes. It could be a referendum.
"We have said the time is not right as regards a referendum on Europe given the economics ricocheting around the eurozone. Obviously our position needs to be developed over the next period."
– Jon Cruddas
The paper claimed that Cruddas' comments would pile pressure on the Prime Minister, who is already facing calls from his party to give the public the EU vote.
I don't think it is in Britain's interests to leave the EU but I do think what it is increasingly becoming the time for is a new settlement between Britain and Europe, and I think that new settlement will require fresh consent.
In the next parliament, I think there will be opportunities for a fresh settlement and for new consent to that settlement.
Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of having no clear position on whether there should be a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
