MP says PM should have courage to support Amendment on Wednesday
John Baron MP has labelled the PM’s latest option of a backbencher running with an EU referendum Private Members Bill as second best, and has suggested he should support the Queen’s Speech Amendment on Wednesday which expresses regret that an EU Referendum Bill was not included.
John said:
“It’s a small step in the right direction but No 10 knows that a Private Members Bill could fail. A far better approach is for the PM to have the courage to support our Amendment on Wednesday, which would force Labour and the Liberals to decide. If we won, he would then have the mandate to introduce legislation through the normal channels if he chose to do so.”
“A Private Members Bill, if we’re lucky in the Ballot, could very well get bogged down by a determined minority at Report Stage on a Friday afternoon because of lack of time. The Bill could hit the buffers and fail – as many do.”
“The PM should instead seize the moment presented by our Amendment. He can legitimately claim the situation was not of his making and therefore not within the confines of the Coalition Agreement.”
“This Amendment is not about a lack of trust between David Cameron and his Party, but rather about a lack of trust between politicians and the electorate. The political establishment has avoided giving the electorate a genuine choice for 30 years. The time has now come.”
Ends
Word Count: 257
Date: 14th May 2013
Notes to Editors
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