THE GUARDIAN: Largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Tory MPs support call for referendum on Britain's membership of the EU
David Cameron was warned that he faces four years of trench warfare with disgruntled backbenchers after he suffered the largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Conservative MPs supported a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
With a new opinion poll showing overwhelming support for a referendum, normally loyal backbenchers told Downing Street that Cameron will face further rebellions unless he takes a tough stance in EU treaty negotiations.
The warnings were issued as nearly half of Cameron's backbenchers defied a three-line whip and voted in favour of a motion calling for a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU on current terms, whether to leave or whether to renegotiate Britain's membership. » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Full list of MPs who voted against the EU referendum: A total of 81 Tory MPs rebelled against the government. In all, 79 Tory MPs voted in favour of an EU referendum while a further two were tellers for the rebels » | Patrick Wintour | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: The government will win the vote on a referendum on EU membership – but at what cost to the PM's leadership?
While Tory MP Steve Baker conducted his weekly surgery in High Wycombe on Friday, the phone rang constantly. "Lots of constituents got in touch, urging me to vote for a referendum on Europe," he said. "And members of my association did the same. It is the first time on any issue that I have had that kind of response."
As it turns out, they need not have bothered. Baker, a young MP who entered parliament only in 2010, is already a fully developed muscular Eurosceptic. He had decided days before that he would rebel in Monday's Commons vote on whether the people should be granted a referendum on UK membership of the European Union. "Personally I think reform of the EU is impractical and that we should come out," he said. "So I will be backing the motion."
Across the country, Tory MPs – many of whom are worried about retaining their seats after boundary changes – have been ordered by their constituents to do the same, or else.
At Westminster, however, the pressure on them has been to do precisely the opposite. David Cameron and his whips are making clear they expect Conservatives to vote against Monday's motion. Their argument is that the UK must help to shape a better, more economically successful Europe from within and that now, of all times, is not the moment for a noisy revival of Brussels-bashing. » | Toby Helm, political editor | Saturday, October 22, 2011
