David Cameron rocked by Tory rebellion on Europe

The surprise resignation of Adam Holloway, aide to the Europe minister, was a personal blow to the prime minister David Cameron faced a major rebellion on Europe as Conservative MPs dismissed an attempt by the prime minister to cast himself in the mould of Margaret Thatcher by signalling that the Tories would fight the next election with a pledge to repatriate powers from Brussels. With a new opinion poll showing overwhelming support for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, Downing Street was rocked by the surprise resignation of an aide to the Europe minister hours before a group of Tory MPs rebelled against the government. In a personal blow to the prime minister, who met MPs throughout the day to try and persuade them to vote against a motion calling for such a referendum, Adam Holloway told MPs the only “honest course of action” for him was to resign as parliamentary private secretary to David Lidington. With a theatrical flourish, the former television journalist rose in the Commons to say: “I’m not now prepared to go back on my words to my constituents and I’m really staggered that loyal people like me have actually been put in this position. If Britain’s future as an independent country is not a proper matter for a referendum, then I have absolutely no idea what is.” Holloway, who was quickly followed by Stewart Jackson, PPS to the Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson, emboldened wavering Tory MPs. It is understood that Bob Stewart, a former colonel who was elected MP for Beckenham last year, rebuffed an offer to meet the prime minister. Jackson told MPs: “The House of Commons should be allowed a free vote and an unfettered debate on this issue. The government have no mandate to whip the vote, as they have done this evening, because no one has a mandate since all parties effectively reneged on the Lisbon treaty prior to the last general election. “As a former whip I believe this has been a catastrophic mismanagement in terms of my party. We should have been able to show we are mature … Instead we have the heavy-handed whipping we have seen tonight.” MPs pressed ahead with their rebellion despite warnings from the whips that they would harm their careers if they defied a three-line whip. “Whether they like it or not this will hinder things for them,” one government source said of the rebels. Cameron adopted a more diplomatic approach as he made clear to Tory MPs that he was determined to press ahead with repatriating social and employment laws from Brussels. The Tories were forced to abandon their election pledge on this under pressure from the Liberal Democrats in the coalition negotiations. The prime minister said: “I remain firmly committed to … bringing back more powers from Brussels.” It is understood that Downing Street is planning to include a commitment to repatriate these powers in the Conservative manifesto for the next election. Tory ministers who say the Lib Dems would not support such a move believe that such an opportunity is unlikely to arise in this parliament, because the Foreign Office does not expect a major new EU treaty in the foreseeable future. No 10 says Britain will now push its interests in negotiations over two stages: a limited EU treaty change over the next year and a possible full-scale renegotiation at an unspecified point. The limited change is likely to take place over the next year to bring into EU law tougher rules overseeing greater fiscal co-ordination among the 17 members of the eurozone. Germany is insisting on a treaty change in this area. The prime minister said Britain would be prepared to wield its veto in these negotiations. “Fundamental questions are being asked about the future of the Eurozone and therefore the shape of the EU itself,” he said. “Opportunities to advance our national interest are clearly becoming apparent. “We should focus on how to make the most of this, not pursue a parliamentary process for a multiple choice referendum … every country can wield a veto until its needs are met.” In these negotiations Britain will demand safeguards to protect Britain’s position in the single market and guarantees to ensure that the position of the City of London is not jeopardised in a beefed up eurozone. Britain will also want assurances that the 17 eurozone members will not “caucus” – agreeing a policy and then bouncing other members of the EU to sign up. A fuller EU treaty negotiation, in the style of the Lisbon treaty or the Maastricht treaty, may take place later. But Downing Street sees no sign of this in the foreseeable future. At this stage the Tories would demand the repatriation of social and employment powers. Cameron attempted to underline his Eurosceptic credentials by casting himself in the mould of Thatcher. Praising José Manuel Barroso, the European commission’s president for making a strong presentation on jobs at Sunday’s EU summit, the prime minister said: “If we want to get Europe’s economies moving, to succeed in a competitive world, then these are the steps that are absolutely necessary. “These are arguments which Margaret Thatcher made to drive through the single market in the first place; and which every prime minister since has tried to push. I am no exception.” But the prime minister did not pull his punches as he said that Eurosceptics had chosen the wrong time to demand a referendum. “It’s not the right time, at this moment of economic crisis, to launch legislation that includes an in-out referendum. When your neighbour’s house is on fire, your first impulse should be to help him put out the flames not least to stop the flames reaching your own house.”This is not the time to argue about walking away. Not just for their sakes, but for ours. Legislating now for a referendum, including on whether Britain should leave the EU, could cause great uncertainty and could actually damage our prospects of growth.” The rebellion came as a Guardian/ICM poll showed some 70% of voters want a vote on Britain’s EU membership. Forty-nine per cent of voters said they would use the referendum to leave the EU, as against just 40% who prefer to stay in. Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, said: “You know the prime minister was in Brussels but his mind was elsewhere. The Tory party on Europe suffering another nervous breakdown. A prime minister making frantic calls home, PPSs threatening to resign and it’s not just the Stone Roses on a comeback tour because [senior Tory eurosceptic John Redwood] is back on the circuit touring the television studios.” David Cameron Conservatives Foreign policy House of Commons European Union Nicholas Watt guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 24, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.