David Cameron could face a second Commons vote on an EU referendum – and campaigners hope to force him to allow a free vote, reports Political Editor Jonathan Walker
The West Midlands MEP whose campaign led to the historic Commons vote on an EU referendum has vowed to carry on her battle – and to launch a new petition calling for a fresh Parliamentary debate.
Nikki Sinclaire condemned Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband for imposing a three-line whip on MPs. Her new petition will specifically state that MPs must be allowed a free vote, she said.
The original Commons vote, which has sparked a major political crisis for Mr Cameron, was prompted by Ms Sinclaire’s success in collecting more than 120,000 signatures on a petition demanding a referendum on whether to leave the EU.
A motion calling for a referendum was defeated by 483 votes against to 111 in favour, but this represented a major rebellion by back-benchers against party leaders who ordered them to vote against. Of the rebels, 79 were Conservatives.
Many MPs have joined Ms Sinclaire in complaining that the decision to impose a whip effectively gagged the Commons.
The demand for a referendum, which would have allowed the public to choose between remaining in the EU on the current terms, renegotiating the UK’s terms of membership or quitting entirely, received strong support in the West Midlands and was backed by 13 MPs.
They included Dan Byles (Con North Warwickshire and Bedworth), Bill Cash (Con Stone), Roger Godsiff (Lab Hall Green), Marcus Jones (Con Nuneaton), Chris Kelly (Con Dudley South), Jeremy Lefroy (Con Stafford), Karen Lumley (Con Redditch), Steve McCabe (Lab Selly Oak), James Morris (Con Halesowen & Rowley Regis), Mark Pritchard (Con The Wrekin), Richard Shepherd (Con Aldridge Brownhills), Gisela Stuart (Lab Edgbaston) and Robin Walker (Con Worcester).
Ms Sinclaire secured the debate thanks to last year’s Coalition Agreement drawn up by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, which promised: “We will ensure that any petition that secures 100,000 signatures will be eligible for formal debate in Parliament”.
Writing in the Birmingham Post, she said: “In response to a petition created in good faith by over 120,000 people, they block their ears with three-line whips. They’re damned if they see why they should take orders from us any more just because we pay their salaries.”
She added: “How much more contempt will we put up with from our servants? Lobby your MPs. Hit the streets. I will be putting together another petition. We are sovereign. We decide how we are governed and by whom.
“I happen to be opposed to the EU. You may think it’s the best thing since the garlic baguette. It makes no difference.
“All democrats should now unite and put our servants and representatives back in their place.”
Ms Sinclaire represented the UK Independence Party when she was elected as West Midlands MEP in 2009, but is now Independent after falling out with party leaders.
One of the most outspoken contributions during the debate itself came from Birmingham MP Steve McCabe (Lab Selly Oak), who was once responsible for discipline within the Parliamentary Labour Party as a former whip.
