EU referendum bill to be debated by Lords / EU referendum bill defeated in UK parliament

The United Kingdom Parliament's second chamber, the House of Lords started its investigation (second reading) of the European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013-14 on the 10 January 2014.

The bill introduced by a backbench Conservative Party MP James Wharton in 2013, but with the support of the Coalition government, would allow a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU in 2017.

The Bill makes provision for an in/out referendum on the question of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union. It also stipulates that such a referendum must be held before 31 December 2017.

On the 31 January 2014, plans to put an UK referendum on EU membership into law were dashed after the House of Lords voted to block the bill by 180 votes to 130.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: EU referendum: MPs call for public to have their say http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-referendum-mps-call-for-public-to-have-their-say/

UK: Parliament: House of Lords: Library Note, January 2014: European Union (Referendum) Bill (HL Bill 63 of 2013–14) http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/LLN-2014-001/european-union-referendum-bill-hl-bill-63-of-201314

ESO: Background information: European Union (Referendum) Bill 2013-14: Progress of the bill http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-union-referendum-bill-2013-14-progress-of-the-bill/

BBC News, 10.01.14: Mandelson: Referendum 'a pistol to Europe's head' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25680252

EurActiv, 13.01.14: Cameron under attack over EU membership vote http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/cameron-attack-eu-membership-vot-news-532713

The Guardian, 10.01.14: Cameron's EU referendum 'timebomb' could undermine UK position, say lords http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/10/cameron-eu-referendum-timebomb-lord-armstrong

Blog: Euromove, 16.01.14: An EU referendum and when? http://ymlp.com/zzE8t0

EUObserver, 31.01.14: EU referendum bill defeated in UK parliament http://euobserver.com/news/122962

UK: Parliament: House of Lords: Parliamentary Business: News, 03.02.14: European Union (Referendum) Bill: Lords committee stage http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2014/january/lords-eu-referendum-bill/

Blog: OpenEurope, 31.01.14: EU Referendum Bill: Peers or the People - will Cameron seek to overrule the Lords? http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/eu-referendum-bill-peers-or-people-will.html

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