Conservative MPs in growing revolt to force referendum on EU

Up to 100 Tory MPs were breaking ranks today in a major Commons vote designed to force an in-out referendum on EU membership into law.

In a growing revolt, the number of MPs signing an unprecedented Commons motion expressing “regret” about the Queen’s Speech swelled to 92. Scores of Tory eurosceptics were joined by a handful of Labour MPs and one Lib-Dem rebel.

The Prime Minister said he was “relaxed” about the vote and declared that it was a free one. No 10 sources denied it amounted to a rebellion because backbenchers were not being whipped, although ministers have been ordered to abstain.

However one leading rebel claimed: “That’s all bulls**t. The whips have been manoeuvring for days to try to stop this vote happening.” Commons Speaker John Bercow today announced a vote will be held at 7.15pm. The motion states that MPs “respectfully regret that an EU referendum Bill was not in the Gracious Speech”. Labour and the Lib-Dems were whipping their MPs against the motion, which means it is almost certain to fall.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Europe was “in the slow lane” . He told Daybreak: “We have to change our relationship with Europe because if we’re going to be successful in the global race we have to realise Europe is in the slow lane economically compared to what is happening in Asia or America.”

Downing Street was cheered by several leading Tory Right-wingers applauding Mr Cameron’s decision to rush out a draft Bill which could be steered through Parliament as a Private Member’s Bill. No 10 is banking on a Tory being picked in the ballot for backbench Bills tomorrow morning.

Tory sceptics were queuing up to back the motion. Backbencher John Baron, who organised it, said: “We need to wake up as a party and realise the EU is an issue important to people.” But Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg hit back at Tories for banging “on and on” about Europe instead of bread and butter issues.