EU referendum Bill takes first step

Tory backbencher James Wharton, the MP for Stockton South, called on politicians from all sides of the House to show their support as he presented his high-profile private member’s Bill in the Commons for the first time yesterday.

If passed, the Bill would ensure an EU referendum before the end of 2017, following Prime Minister David Cameron’s landmark pledge in his Bloomberg speech earlier this year.

Mr Cameron has been unable to put the Bill forward on behalf of the coalition Government in the normal way, as he does not have the support of the Liberal Democrats. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has warned of “years of grinding uncertainty” for British business if a referendum is confirmed so far in advance.

Mr Wharton, who at 29 is one of Parliament’s youngest members, won the annual private member’s Bill ballot of backbench MPs last month, giving him the opportunity to put forward his own piece of legislation.

His draft European Union (Referendum) Bill had its first reading in the Commons yesterday and will be debated on July 5.

“Fundamentally this is about democracy and trusting the people,” Mr Wharton said. “We must give the British people a choice.”

The move has been dismissed as a political stunt by Labour, with the party widely expected to use filibuster tactics in the House of Lords to ensure the Bill never makes it on to the statute books.

But writing in today’s Yorkshire Post, Foreign Secretary William Hague – the MP for Richmondshire and de-facto Tory deputy leader – says it is time to give the public a say.

“I know the views across Yorkshire on our relationship with the European Union will be as diverse as they are strong,” he writes.

“I know the renewable energy industry in places like Hull and the Don Valley have benefited from EU funding. But there are also the small businesses in places like Leeds and Doncaster who struggle under the increasing burden of rules and regulations originating from Brussels.

“Whether you are in favour of our continued membership of the EU or against it, it is time the public were allowed to decide.”

Speaking in the Commons following Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Cameron again made the case for Britain remaining part of a reformed EU, insisting membership of the single market can secure vital trade concessions.

“Of course, if Britain wanted to leave the EU, we could, and then we could make trade deals with every country in the world and that is a path open to us,” he said.

“The argument I would make is that as part of the European Union, as part of the world’s largest single market, I think you do have the opportunity to drive some quite good deals.”

Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield, who came second in last month’s ballot, presented his own Bill before the Commons yesterday ahead of a debate on July 12.

It would introduce a clampdown on loan sharks and pay-day lenders, setting restrictions on the rate of interest they can charge and forcing them to undertake much more stringent assessments of clients before offering loans.

“The opportunities for backbench members to push their own pieces of legislation are rare,” the Labour MP said. “James (Wharton) has allowed his Bill to be hi-jacked by his own frontbench for party management reasons.

“I wanted to do something that would make a practical difference to the lives of people in Sheffield and across the country.”

Time to let the people make a choice on Europe: Page 13.