British ministers voice support for leaving EU

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 13.05.13
Publication Date 13/05/2013
Content Type

EUObserver and other news sources reported that two senior United Kingdom ministers Michael Gove and Philip Hammond said on the 12 May 2013 that they would vote to leave the EU if there was a referendum now.

However, both men nuanced their statements by saying there should first be an attempt to reform the EU and renegotiate the UK relationship with the EU short of withdrawal.

The FT reported that UK Labour Party leader Ed Miliband was coming under pressure from his party to take a more rightwing stance on Europe after some Labour MPs announced they were campaigning for a referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

EurActiv reported that up to 100 eurosceptic Conservative members of parliament were expected to back an amendment in mid-May 2013 criticising the legislative plans unveiled by the UK coalition government on the 8 May 2013 because they did not include a bill for a referendum on Britain's continued EU membership.

On the 13 May 2013 it was said that the Conservative Party (not the UK Government) would publish a draft parliamentary bill to legislate for an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union to be held by the end of 2017.

Source Link http://euobserver.com/institutional/120081
Related Links
BBC News, 12.05.13: Michael Gove and Philip Hammond would vote for Britain to leave the EU http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22500121
BBC News, 13.05.13: Obama urges UK: Fix EU problems before 'breaking' relationship http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22506407
BBC News, 13.05.13: Boris Johnson backs call for EU referendum bill http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22506113
EurActiv, 13.05.13: Tories split as minister says he would vote to leave EU http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/britains-cameron-faces-growing-p-news-519667
ESO: Background information: PM promises 'proper choice' on EU after Lawson comments http://www.europeansources.info/record/pm-promises-proper-choice-on-eu-after-lawson-comments/
ESO: Background information: David Cameron speech: UK and the EU http://www.europeansources.info/record/david-cameron-speech-uk-and-the-eu/
BBC News, 14.05.13: Conservatives publish EU referendum bill http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22518403
EurActiv, 14.05.13: Cameron to table EU vote bill in bid to defuse party revolt http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/cameron-publish-eu-vote-bill-bid-news-519690
Blog: ConservativeHome: Tag: Europe http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/europe/
EUObserver, 15.05.13: Cameron's Conservatives table EU referendum bill http://euobserver.com/political/120108

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