Apparently the Labour leadership is considering making a commitment to hold an In or Out referendum on British membership of the EU sometime in the next parliament. Guido says this would be “opportunistic, calculated and brilliant”. Well, he would say that wouldn’t he? He would, I think, quite like to see Britain leave the EU. Of course the Better Off Outers would welcome Labour’s conversion to an In or Out plebiscite. But since Labour remain, I believe, a Better Off In party it’s a mystery why they would wish or risk a referendum that can only – by dint of just asking the question – increase the likelihood that Britain might actually leave the EU. Why would any sensible leader risk that?
A sensible leader would not. So the move is just a ploy and transparently disingenuous at that. As a piece of mischief-making it is entertaining but such a move can’t make Ed Miliband seem a statesman.
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