Thursday 20 October 2011

We promised an "in or out" referendum - we should keep our promise

There has been a failure of nerve on the part of Liberal Democrats in government. We should trust the people to give the right opinion and go along with the Conservatives calling for an "in-out" referendum in a debate in the House next Monday. (One trusts that the referendum would be an advisory one, rather than binding.) Menzies Campbell made it part of his campaign, and Nick Clegg took it over.

If nothing else, the fact that so many Tories are in favour of coming out should convince most Labour voters to opt for staying in!

Later: Peter Black points out that our 2010 manifesto called for a referendum if "a British Government signs up for fundamental change in the relationship between the UK and the EU". I plead guilty to not checking the actual wording, before writing the headline. However, I still think that an in-out referendum before the end of this parliament would lance a boil.

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