Following yesterday’s vote on whether there is a referendum on Britain’s relationship with the EU, this in from Andrew Turner’s Office, in their own words.
Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner has said that he believes that last night’s vote about a referendum on Britain’s role in the EU will have profound influence in the future.
The Government won the vote against holding a referendum by 483 to 111, but all three main party leaders had to tell their MPs to vote against it. Despite the three-line whip, the strongest possible instruction on how MP’s should vote, last night’s rebellion was the largest ever over Europe.
Island MP supported a referendum
Mr Turner, who was one of the signatories of the motion, joined those who supported holding a referendum over our relationship with Europe.
Eighty-one Conservative MPs supported the motion, who together with those who abstained, represent more than half the Conservative back-benches, 19 Labour MPs and one Lib-Dem joined them and two junior members of the Government resigned over the issue.
British people deserve to have a say
Speaking this morning Mr Turner said, “I have always believed the British people deserve to have a say on our relationship with Europe, and last night I voted to give them one. Although we may have lost the battle last night – the war against ever increasing interference by the EU in every nook and cranny of our national life has just started. I know MPs on both sides of the House who in their hearts supported the motion; they had profound misgivings in voting it down. I believe if there had not been a three line whip we may have won the vote.
“A very strong message was sent to the Government that they must listen – and not just listen, but act. David Cameron said he is determined to deliver fundamental reform of the EU, and the time for that reform is coming – we will hold him to account on that. Our EU membership costs every British man, woman and child £1,000 every year – that amount of money could solve a great many problems here at home. At this time when we have to make cutbacks to every part of public life here in the UK – I don’t believe we can afford to be pouring taxpayers’ money into the black hole of Euro nations that are effectively bankrupt. It is high time we asked the electorate what they think.”
See the full Debate online.
Image: Open Democracy under CC BY 2.0
