Hague warning ahead of EU vote

24 October 2011 Last updated at 04:33 ET

William Hague fought a eurosceptic general election campaign in 2001 as the then Conservative leader

William Hague has compared calls by Conservative MPs for a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union to “a piece of graffiti”.

An in-out referendum was not government policy, the foreign secretary said, and “the wrong question at the wrong time”.

All Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour MPs have been instructed to vote later against a motion calling for a public vote on the UK’s place in the EU.

However, nearly 70 Tory MPs are likely to defy the party whip on the issue.

Although that will not change the result of the vote at 2200 BST, the BBC’s political editor Nick Robinson said their action was being seen as a challenge to David Cameron’s authority.

The prime minister opposes a public vote on Britain’s EU membership and has sought to shift attention onto helping to solve the eurozone crisis.

‘Economic uncertainty’

He has imposed a three-line whip – the strongest order a party can give – on Conservative MPs, meaning that any who vote against the government will be expected to resign from government jobs.

Mr Hague defended ministers’ handling of the vote, saying it was “not unusual” for a government to ask its MPs to oppose something that was “completely against” their policy.

“Clearly our whole relationship with the European Union is a matter that concerns the government as a whole and not just something for the House of Commons to put up some graffiti about,” he told Radio 4’s Today.

Mr Hague said he had argued for referendums to be used more frequently on other issues but he believed “this proposition is the wrong question at the wrong time”.

“It was not in the manifestos of either of the governing parties, it cuts right across the rules for holding referendums, it will create additional economic uncertainty in this country at a difficult economic time.”

Mr Hague said the UK’s priority should be on “protecting the British national interest” during talks to resolve the eurozone crisis and to ensure the UK had a strong voice in future discussions over changes to the EU.

“The right referendum is when any government suggests handing more power from Britain to the EU that the British people are consulted in a referendum.”

Prime Minister David Cameron, who will update MPs on the summit after his row with Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday, has said the focus should be on sorting out Europe’s economic problems while looking to repatriate powers back to Britain when the time is right in future.

Speaking at Sunday’s EU summit, Mr Cameron said the possibility of changes to the European Union’s treaty had been discussed and that could provide an opportunity for Britain to reclaim powers from Brussels.

Public opinion

Conservative backbencher Bernard Jenkin said the public had not be consulted on the issue of Europe for more than 35 years and public opinion was on the side of those seeking a referendum.

“David Cameron is not just taking on the Conservative Party,” he said. “He is taking on the whole of public opinion.”

Mr Jenkin said the referendum was not a “panic exercise” but a response to what was going on in the eurozone and the “fundamental change in the nature of our relationship with the EU” being proposed.

Prominent rebels say there is no need for a three-line whip because Labour and Lib Dem MPs are going to vote against the motion.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said it is the worst time for a debate about Britain leaving the EU as a “firestorm” engulfs the eurozone while Labour leader Ed Miliband has said Mr Cameron had brought the problems on himself by “appeasing eurosceptics”.

Monday’s motion – which carries no legal weight – calls for a referendum on whether the UK should remain in the EU, leave or renegotiate its membership.

In the coalition agreement, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems, a traditionally pro-European party, agreed to “ensure that the British government is a positive participant in the European Union, playing a strong and positive role with our partners”.

The Commons debate on the issue was prompted after a petition was signed by more than 100,000 people.

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