Conservatives Fail to Support Euro-Referendum

6.09.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 15th Nov 2007

Labour and the Conservatives voted together on Wednesday to deny the public a vote on whether or not the UK should remain in the European Union. A Liberal Democrat amendment to the Queen's Speech laid out proposals for a referendum on the UK's continued membership of the European Union.

Commenting, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Vince Cable, said "Labour and the Tories have rejected our call for the public to vote on the UK's membership of the European Union. No member of the public under the age of fifty has had the opportunity to have a say on the crucial cumulative changes that have taken place over the last few decades. The case for a referendum on membership is overwhelming and the Liberal Democrats will be proud to lead the pro-Europe case."

"The Tories have shown once again that they are all over the place on Europe. It seems extraordinary to vote against having a referendum on membership when they must know that many of their supporters would have one tomorrow."

"The Tories have been exposed as being deeply confused and defensive because they know that if there were to be a referendum, they would be split right down the middle."