The Conservatives are a happy bunch at the moment. But for how much longer? They might be riding on the crest of a wave after the second reading of James Wharton’s Private Member’s Bill for an EU referendum. But already forces are at work to disrupt the happy harmony.
Labour MP Mike Gapes has this week tabled a rather amusing series of amendments to the legislation which are almost certainly an attempt to sow division in the Tory ranks. They call for:
– A referendum on the terms of Britain’s membership of the EU rather than just on whether Britain should be a member.
– A referendum on a date to be determined.
– A referendum on a date to be decided by a Royal Commission on the future of the UK in Europe.
– A referendum on 22 May 2014.
– A referendum on 6 May 2015.
– A referendum before 31 December 2014.
– A referendum before 31 December 2015.
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