TBG can today confirm that its all going to kick off for the Government again next week as regards the E.U. after leading Tory eurosceptics tabled an amendment to the Queen's Speech, expressing regret that the Government had not announced an EU referendum bill.
Basildon MP John Baron, Wellingborough's Peter Bone, Crawley's Henry Smith, and, as reported on tbg last night, Nadine Dorries, are so far amongst the members who have put their name to it.
Mr. Baron told tbg this morning that the move is aimed at "sending a clear message that we are not going away and that there is a large body of opinion inside and outside Westminster that believes that legislation is right for a EU referendum."
And in an exclusive interview with tbg Henry Smith says that his actions are patriotic, and not rebellious:
"I had just turned six years old when the last referendum on Europe was held and that was, we were told at the time, to join a free trading area (although anyone who read the Treaty of Rome at the time would have seen that was deceptive)."
"Since 1975 the EEC evolved into to EC and now the centralising, fundamentally undemocratic, political construct of the EU. I sit on the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee and see with my own eyes and in often dismay the significant level of directives and legislative demands emanating from the EU."
"It is often said that people care more about health, employment, the economy, education, taxation and so on more than our relationship with the EU. Yet what the EU does effects almost every aspect of our lives, therefore, on this fundamental constitutional question we need the British people to decide."
"With a clear message from the Crawley electorate at the last election, I have repeatedly lobbied the Government in support of a referendum on our membership and indeed have voted against the Coalition Government, in spite of pressure from the political establishment, because I believe putting the country and constituents before party or personal career is the right thing to do."
This morning Downing Street said that David Cameron was relaxed about the move and also said that the government may even tolerate ministerial support for it too.
Last year 79 Tory MPs signed a letter calling for legislation to pave the way for a referendum.
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