Cameron's 'double dealing' over stance on EU poll

UK Political Editor

Tuesday 3 July 2012

DAVID Cameron was last night accused of "double dealing and double think" by Alex Salmond for proposing one thing on a referendum on Britain's EU membership and another on one about whether Scotland should become independent.

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MICHAEL SETTLE UK POLITICAL EDITOR

Following yet another crunch Brussels summit on the eurozone, the Prime Minister told MPs yesterday he was not in favour of an "in-out" poll on Europe, but said its changing nature meant at some point the British people might be asked about the nation's relationship with the rest of Europe.

Rightwinger Liam Fox, a former defence secretary, suggested Britain should quit the EU if it could not renegotiate its terms of membership.As Mr Cameron fended off calls for a referendum from his Tory backbenchers, Mr Salmond said the PM was proposing a future EU poll without defining what the question would be, at an unspecified time for which he had no electoral mandate. He said at the same time, Mr Cameron was threatening to obstruct a Scottish referendum – for which there was a clear mandate and timetable – by trying to pass a parliamentary order with strings attached."If Mr Cameron thinks it is the Westminster Parliament's right to determine the parameters of an EU poll, then it is the Scottish Parliament's to determine the parameters of a Scottish vote," said Mr Salmond.He added: "The Prime Minister should realise in Scotland his new-found enthusiasm for a poll on the EU will be regarded as hypocrisy given his attitudes to the Scottish referendum. He will stand accused of double dealing and double think." Earlier, Mr Cameron told MPs as Europe changed so too would the UK's relationship with it.Ed Miliband mocked the PM's stance, accusing him of having a "hokey cokey weekend"."Three days, three positions. First it was no, then it was yes, then it was maybe," said the Labour leader, who accused Mr Cameron of simply trying to appease his own party.Leading Tory eurosceptic Bill Cash urged his party leader to take the advice of a London cabbie he had just spoken to. "He said the British people are not stupid – give them renegotiation, give them a referendum, get rid of the Coalition Agreement and then we will get re-elected by a massive majority."LibDem backbencher Sir Graham Wilson said: "If Tories believe we will simply be allowed to renegotiate our membership at the 11th hour without damaging jobs, trade and our rebate, then clearly they are deluded."

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Cameron's 'double dealing' over stance on EU poll

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