Clegg defends EU vote stance

Almost a quarter of his party defied a three-line whip to vote with the Tories in support of a referendum.

The Government comfortably saw off the Conservative amendment by 311 votes to 248. A rebel Labour amendment was defeated by a similar margin of 311 to 247.

Mr Clegg, who has been leader for less than three months, had ordered his 63 MPs to abstain, but 15 voted for a referendum.

Three senior frontbenchers - justice spokesman David Heath, countryside spokesman Tim Farron and Scotland and Northern Ireland spokesman Alistair Carmichael - quit to join the revolt.

Mr Clegg said: "It's part of leadership. It's a difficult issue. It doesn't in any way affect the unity and sense of optimism in the party. There were a few folks who didn't agree, that's the way these things happen.

"I think actually as the dust settles, people will understand first that we have been very consistent and clear in our view that there should be a major national referendum on the real question that really matters, which is our long-term membership of the European Union."

The Tories have vowed to fight on after their Commons defeat.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said they would now try to reintroduce their amendment calling for a referendum when the treaty went to the House of Lords.

Campaigners believe that the parliamentary arithmetic could work in their favour in the upper chamber, where the Government has no overall majority.