Labour sources have told Coffee House that they are seriously considering voting against government amendments to the EU referendum, which means ministers still face a defeat in the Commons on Monday. There are sufficient numbers of Tory backbenchers who are still dissatisfied with the amendments, which seek to introduce a narrow definition of purdah, to mean the government cannot command a majority on the issue.
Tory MPs have also been annoyed by a ‘dear colleague’ letter from the whips. The letter claims that the effect of a Labour amendment to the Bill – which also tries to introduce purdah for the referendum and would force ministers to win a Commons vote on any exemptions – would be to prevent MPs from campaigning in the referendum. The letter, seen by Coffee House, says:
‘The Labour front-bench has tabled new clauses 5 and 6, which would also reintroduce Section 125 and give the Secretary of State a power to set the rules on Government communication by Statutory Instrument. While we accept the principle, the Labour amendment is technically deficient. For example the exceptions could only apply to Ministers – meaning only central Government but not elected representatives and other individuals who could be caught by the very wide definitions in Section 125. In addition, it does not extend to Gibraltar, meaning that the Government and public bodies there would be completely unregulated when it came to publishing referendum material.’
But Labour and Tories examining the new government amendments claim they don’t set out how MPs would be exempted from the purdah restrictions, and are therefore deficient by the government’s own definition. There is also a feeling that ministers are trying to bully Tory MPs into supporting the government position using threats without foundation. Robert Oxley, campaign director of Business for Britain, which has been working closely with those campaigning for a ‘proper’ set of purdah restrictions, says: ‘Using made-up scenarios to try and bully MPs into backing ministers’ own flawed purdah replacement is a deeply desperate act from the Government whips office.’
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