Tory backbenchers have written again to the Prime Minister demanding legislation guaranteeing a referendum in the next Parliament. Conservative MP John Baron delivered the letter, which bears more than 100 backbench signatures, to Downing Street this morning. While its existence was reported in the Sunday papers, Baron has now spoken exclusively to Coffee House about the letter’s contents.
I understand that though Baron and his colleagues working on the plan approached only backbenchers (and those include former ministers who left the government in September’s reshuffle), a number of ministers and PPSs have also approached them to express sympathy with the idea, and there are several individual letters from PPSs going to David Cameron as well. Baron also says: ‘We are going to be looking for all opportunities to raise this on the floor of the House.’ This could be through a Private Members’ Bill.
The timing is important: the letter was written ahead of the Queen’s Speech on 8 May because MPs want the legislation announced then.
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