IWR in the news

22/02/08

I will rebel over EU reform treaty says MP

Jonathan Reed Political Editor,

Exclusive

THE Labour MP whose constituency has been targeted by campaigners holding an unofficial poll on the EU reform treaty has revealed he will rebel against the Government and vote in Parliament for a national referendum.

Paul Truswell, who represents Pudsey, has told Government whips about his intention to rebel and back a referendum when MPs vote on the issue on March 5.

His constituency is one of 10 across the country where the I Want A Referendum campaign group is asking voters whether they back a nationwide poll, and whether they think the Lisbon Treaty should be ratified.

Mr Truswell said he had already told I Want A Referendum chairman Derek Scott of his intentions, and said he was "surprised and disappointed" his views had been "misrepresented" in leaflets handed out during the Pudsey poll showing him with his fingers in his ears.

Campaigners – who last night claimed they would have moved the poll elsewhere if they had been aware of Mr Truswell's intentions earlier – are urging the 38,000 voters in Pudsey targeted in the poll to take part before the closing date on Monday.

Mr Truswell said he first learned about the plans for Pudsey on January 23 when he opened a letter from Mr Scott and said the referendum began before he could respond.

He later confirmed his stance to a campaign supporter and then to Mr Scott, informing them he had been preoccupied with the death of his mother.

"I was, therefore, surprised and disappointed when leaflets that misrepresented my view were later circulated in the name of the campaign," he said.

Campaigners hope the poll will increase pressure on Gordon Brown to hold a national referendum on whether the Lisbon Treaty, currently being debated in Parliament, should be ratified.

Although all three parties promised a referendum on the EU constitution, Mr Brown has refused, claiming the Treaty – paving the way for the transfer of more powers to – is sufficiently different from the ditched constitution, although other European leaders have admitted it is virtually identical.

Last night Yorkshire businessman Victor Watson, chairman of for a Referendum, the campaign group's regional arm, said he was "delighted" Mr Truswell would vote in Parliament for a referendum.

"I hope that many other Labour MPs will follow his example and honour their manifesto promises on this critical issue," he said, urging anyone in the Pudsey constituency who had not yet taken part to do so.

"We obviously want as many people as possible to take part in this referendum so that Gordon Brown understands how important the issue is to the electorate."

Yesterday the Government confirmed MPs will vote on March 5 on an amendment which would allow a referendum to take place, with several Labour colleagues likely to join Mr Truswell in rebelling.

Shadow Minister for Europe Mark Francois said: "We now know the day on which MPs from all parties will have to decide whether or not they will keep their word to their constituents and honour the manifestos on which they were elected to the House of Commons."