Douglas Alexander’s evasive EU referendum speech suggests his party could change its mind

The Tory party have been having a very fun morning in the Chamber so far. The debate about James Wharton’s Private Member’s Bill for an EU referendum has had the atmosphere of a children’s party.

David Cameron was smiling on a frontbench like the indulgent father watching his child getting a little over-excited. William Hague played the part of conjurer, producing a magnificent speech attacking Labour and, to a lesser extent, the Lib Dems, for not giving voters a say.

Dennis Skinner even offered a quick performance at the start, but this time he wasn’t a clown: he told the Chamber he thought the British people had failed to take his advice on Europe in the 1970s and that ‘what we need is a referendum before the next election’.