Boost for David Cameron as Eurosceptic James Wharton wins right to bring EU referendum bill

 
Obscure: Tory James Wharton, 29, adopted the PM’s draft Bill after winning the ballot of MPs wishing to bring in a new law
16 May 2013
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David Cameron was tonight attempting to unite his party behind an in-out referendum Bill today after a Eurosceptic Tory MP topped the ballot to bring in new legislation.

The Prime Minister imposed a controversial three-line whip on a Private Member’s Bill that could legally enshrine the right to a referendum before the end of 2017.

Although the MP who will pilot the Bill himself admitted that Europe does not “matter” to many voters, Mr Cameron quickly challenged Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband to support the Bill or stand accused of denying the British public a free choice over their European destiny.

Tory MPs will be ordered to support the Bill in a three-line whip. That decision raised speculation at Westminster that Kenneth Clarke, the pro-European Cabinet minister, would find it difficult to fall into line. Mr Clarke is said to have told a fellow MP that the eruption of Euro in-fighting was “deja-vu”.

Although the Bill stands a slim chance of being passed, it gave a much-needed boost to Mr Cameron after a week of bitter in-fighting that culminated in last night’s vote by 114 Tories - over half his backbenchers - to protest the lack of a referendum Bill in the Queen’s Speech.

Mr Cameron’s luck changed when an obscure 29-year-old backbencher, James Wharton, came first in the annual ballot of MPs wishing to bring in new laws. The top slot gives the MP a high chance of his Bill becoming law, providing the opposition parties do not mobilise to block it. Tory Right-winger Douglas Carswell tweeted in delight: “God must be a Eurosceptic.”

Mr Wharton, whose has an ultra-slim majority of 332 in Stockton South, seized his chance to make history by adopting the draft referendum Bill published two days ago by Mr Cameron.

Embarrassingly, before last night’s vote Mr Wharton told the BBC that MPs were “at risk of not being seen to talk about the things that matter because we’re just talking about Europe”. Today he insisted that his Bill would “settle” the matter.

“The only reason this won’t become law is if other political parties vote against it,” said the former solicitor.

However, Labour is expected to try to block the Bill. A source said: “Committing now to an in-out referendum in 2017 is the wrong choice for the country.” The Lib-Dems said they would not allow Government time in the Commons to be used for the Bill, and dismissed it as “a Conservative hobby horse”.

Conservative MP John Baron, who masterminded last night’s revolt, said it was a “second-best option” compared with a Government Bill but he would back it.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister will ensure that Conservative members give it their full backing by giving it a three-line whip.”

The question that would be enshrined by the Bill is: “Do you think that the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union?”

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