Andrew Percy: Don’t wreck best chance for referendum over Europe

In the European policy debates of the past, Conservatives divided very clearly between sceptics and passionate pro-Europeans, who not only supported membership of the EU, but who also argued for further European integration. The once pro-European wing of the Conservative Party, if it exists today, is little more than a feather; possibly embodied by a handful of individuals such as Ken Clarke.

Present-day debates on Europe within the Conservative Party are between not whether, but how eurosceptic the party should be. A growing number, including myself, conclude that the UK national interest would be best served outside of the EU, while others focus on how we can reform the EU, seek better terms and remain inside an EU more akin to the original idea of a free trade area.

Whether it is withdrawal or reform, the Conservative Party is more united on European policy than at any time I can remember.

This Conservative consensus on Europe was on display during the first stages of the Private Member’s Bill making its way through Parliament. This Bill, moved by our youngest MP James Wharton, paves the way for a renegotiation and in/out referendum in 2017.

The Bill cannot become a Government Bill because the Liberal Democrats would not countenance a referendum at this stage. Others less charitable than myself would recall their walking out of the debate in the last Parliament on the Lisbon Treaty, apparently on the grounds that they weren’t allowed to vote on their proposal for an in/out referendum.

James Wharton’s Bill has the full support of the Conservative leadership and the Prime Minister, who attended to vote for the Bill just before the summer recess. Here we had British Prime Minister going through the division lobbies to vote in support of a referendum on our membership of the EU.

Another irony of the rise of Ukip is that it has occurred at a time when we have probably the most eurosceptic Prime Minister the country has had since we joined what was supposed to be the Common Market. Not only is he committed to a referendum he has also taken powers back from the EU, extracted us from the Euro bailout fund and even vetoed an EU Treaty, something Margaret Thatcher never dare do. All that has been done at a time when he has been hamstrung on European issues by the pro-European Lib Dems.

The European Union Referendum Bill will return to the House of Commons in the next few weeks. Despite Labour efforts to delay and wreck the Bill in committee, it has passed that stage and will be voted on again by MPs. Private Members’ Bills are notoriously difficult to pass, not enjoying the protected time for debate a Government Bill does.

To pass the Commons, the Parliamentary Conservative Party has to remain disciplined and united around our goal of securing a say for the British people. We need to send a strong message to the House of Lords, who do not have to face the electorate, that a referendum is the desired will of not only the Commons, but also the public we represent.

While we are on the subject of the will of the people, let us remember that people under the age of 56, including myself, have never had a say on our membership. Polls show an overwhelming majority want their voice heard, with recent polling showing even German voters distrust the EU’s institutions and half support devolution of powers to member states.

Labour and Lib Dem pro-EU fanatics dismiss these polls, claiming that the public is more interested in other issues, such as cost of living.

One Conservative MP, Adam Afriyie, has tabled an amendment demanding the referendum take place in 2014. Unlike Adam, I have voted against the whip in support of a referendum in Parliament in October 2011, as there is nobody who wants to see this happen more than me.

However, laying an amendment at this stage could risk the progress of this Bill and divide the Conservative Party over when we have the referendum. I fear it will play into the hands of those patronising pro-European fanatics in the other parties who don’t want us to ever have a referendum.

This Bill is going to struggle to pass in any event and Conservative colleagues seeking to amend the date of the referendum will likely mean it will never pass. Is that what the country wants? No it is not.

*Andrew Percy is the Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole.