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A TORY government may swap its pledge of an EU referendum for a general election manifesto promise to repatriate some powers from Brussels, it emerged today.
David Cameron refused to deny reports that he is set to dump his policy of holding a plebiscite on the Lisbon Treaty, which is due to be fully ratified this month.
The Tory leader failed to knock down claims by ConservativeHome.com that he is preparing to abandon the idea of a referendum altogether.
The website cited party insiders claiming that instead of a referendum the voters would have their say through a strongly Eurosceptic Tory manifesto at the next election. If the party won the election, it could claim a mandate for negotiating with the rest of the EU to win back powers for the UK. Mr Cameron did not deny or confirm the reports. "Although I love and adore ConservativeHome in all sorts of deeply precious ways, I haven't seen this," he said.
The Standard revealed last week that Mr Cameron was set to dump his own pledge for a British referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, which creates the post of EU President and transfers some powers from London to Brussels.
Today he acknowledged that his party may not be able to hold the promised poll before it becomes law.
He said the party would "do what we can to make good all our promises", but refused to set out what its response would be if the treaty is ratified by all 27 member states before a general election.
Reader views (12)
Oh dear david cameron you are going to lose votes for this. He did not explain about the ratification bit until the last month. But before that he was telling us he would definately have a referendum for us. He has not mentioned immigration either!
- V, west sussex
Cameron has always had as much intention of declaring an EU referendum as Blair/Brown had, which is why when Stuart Wheeler offered him a £1 million bet on it he had no comment. None of the main parties have anything resembling a backbone and until they do people are going to resort to the smaller parties that have nothing to lose, unfortunately this includes the BNP but you can watch UKIP's proportion rise this election too.
- Bob, Cheam
This typical opf Cameron. He told the Eurosceptics what they wanted to hear to get their votes knowing that he was promising something he could not deliver. Over the next few months we will see a lot more of this. For example Cameron promises Green policies but with no policy for discouraging gas-guzzlers driving four by fours. He hopes top placate them by repealing the Hunting Ban.
- D Dare, Kenton England
Once the Czechs have signed there is no point in having a referendum as it becomes law anyway. For that you can thank Brown who didn't even have the guts to sign it openly buy slunk into a room on his own after everyone else had signed it.
- Paul, London
We have been taking bets at work when Dave will come out with this one. You wont be getting my vote Dave.I think Dave is another Tony (just an ordinary bloke)Bliar just full of you know what.
- Stephend, London, England
Cameron is nothing but a waste of good air. Cowardly, two-faced lying git. Sorry for the language, but it is nothing short of the truth. A traitor to the Nation.
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI
Mr Heath, sorry Mr Cameron, your core vote is about to leave the room so kiss goodbye to your overall majority at the 2010 election. Would the last person please switch off the lights.
- Doug Watt, london e14
Time to simply re-negotiate everything regarding the EU. Tear the whole sorry mess up and start from scratch with the basic underlying principle that the EU should be there to facilitate trade and not further illegitimate transfers of national powers to un elected bureaucrats in Brussels. Simple really. It has done Switzerland no harm, why should it harm Britain?
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove
He has no retreated, as he was never going to hold a referendum anyway.
- P Staker, London
This is just really annoying media speak - how many times has David Cameron said this - he will give the voters a referendum on the Lisbon treaty, IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN RATIFIED BY ALL THE OTHER EU COUNTRIES. Assuming that the Czechs give in shortly and sign it - IT WILL BE LAW and he has no option but to accept it. So he is not back tracking, or giving in, this has been his position all the way along. What would be the point of holding a referendum on something that is already law and that we cannot get out of - clearly that would be a classic example of this current government's approach to everything, a total waste of money.
- Tim, Marlborough
No big surprise here. Cameron, Brown, Clegg and the rest of the political elite are all in bed on not giving the British people any say on the U.K. becoming one of 27 new provinces of the new E.U. federal state. The U.K. changes from the equivalent of the U.S., Canada or Australia, i.e. a country, to the equivalent of Ohio, Ontario or New South Wales, i.e. a province, without Brits getting any say in the matter. The media have played along, as have the legal academics. The BBC has had no information programming whatsoever on what is a federal state, and how the change will affect Brits' lives. For instance, Alastair Darling makes a big show of coming up with the break-up of the 'state' banks, with absolutely no mention that he is simply following an E.U. directive. So it goes on, day after day. Most of the new Westminster policies presented on the morning BBC Breakfast TV are simply Westminster rubber-stamping a new Brussels' law. In the U.S. or Canada the citizens get letters from the federal and provincial governments on new laws in the respective jurisdictions. Ever wonder why you never see a letter from the E.U. in your mailbox? Ever seen one? The provincial government is hiding that 70%+ of 'its' laws are actually federal laws. Most of the British people don't seem to have any idea of the sham that is going on, and how the system of government has changed. And the dismantlement of the old UK institutions (House of Lords) ensures no reversal.
- Phil Jones, London UK
cluck, cluck, cluck...panic, panic, panic!!! So much for a 'refendum on Europe' - losers - the whole rotten, kniving, self serving, two faced, slimy turncoats! No wonder the BNP keep gaining votes - roll on election day!
- Gary, amesham
