Daily Mail

PM is forced to rewrite ‘biased’ EU poll question

... and Boris hints that he would vote to leave

- By Jason Groves Deputy Political Editor

DAVID Cameron was forced to tear up the EU referendum question yesterday after a watchdog ruled it was ‘biased’ in favour of the status quo.

The Electoral Commission warned that the Yes/No question chosen by the Government should be dropped after studies showed it could steer people towards voting to stay in the EU.

Downing Street said the Prime Minister would accept the ruling and table an amendment to the referendum legislatio­n when it returns to the Commons next week.

The Government’s preferred question for the referendum was: ‘Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?’, with a Yes or No response.

The new question will read: ‘Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?’ The responses would be either ‘Remain a member of the European Union’ or ‘Leave the European Union’.

The Electoral Commission ruling was one of a series of blows for Mr Cameron yesterday in his campaign to keep Britain in a reformed EU.

It was reported that the Prime Minister had been forced to abandon plans to seek an opt-out from EU employment laws in an effort to achieve a quick deal in renegotiat­ing the terms of Britain’s membership.

And Boris Johnson warned he was prepared to vote to leave the EU if the Prime Minister fails to get a satisfacto­ry deal. The London mayor insisted he backed Mr Cameron’s bid to secure a new settlement. But he said it would be ‘very disappoint-

‘Leading to great confusion’

ing’ if the Prime Minister fails to claw back control of employment laws.

Asked if he would consider voting to leave the EU, he told LBC Radio: ‘ Of course – I think it is important.’

In a further blow, Labour indicated it will side with Tory rebels to prevent the full weight of the Government machine being used to promote the pro-EU case during the final weeks of the referendum campaign.

Mr Cameron has promised to hold an in/out referendum on Europe by the end of 2017 after the renegotiat­ion. But Tory sources acknowledg­e he is pushing for a quick deal, with the referendum likely to be held next year.

The Government’s preferred question was designed to allow Mr Cameron to lead the ‘Yes’ campaign for the UK remaining in the EU, following concern that the Government campaign in last year’s Scottish independen­ce referendum was too easy to paint as negative. Euroscepti­cs complained that the question was biased in favour of Brussels. And the independen­t Electoral Commission yesterday agreed.

Commission chairman Jenny Watson said the original question was ‘ easy to understand’, but added: ‘It was not seen by voters as entirely unbiased.

‘People said it would not change their own vote, but they felt it was biased towards a Yes outcome.’

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the Government would accept the change. She added: ‘The Prime Minister’s objective has always been clear – to give people a very clear and simple choice. We believe that will still be achieved with the recommenda­tion from the Electoral Commission.’

Ukip leader Nigel Farage welcomed the proposed change, saying: ‘I’m in no doubt that the Yes/No offering was leading to great confusion and that remain or leave is much clearer. That combined with a more explicit question is the right direction of travel.’

Euroscepti­c Conservati­ve MEP Daniel Hannan also welcomed the change, but urged Mr Cameron to guarantee that he will not use the resources of the Government machine to skew the campaign. However, the move was a blow to Ukip donor Arron Banks, who set up the Know.eu campaign last month. He admitted the play on the word ‘no’ would have to be ditched now the referendum question will not have a ‘yes/no’ answer.

Mr Cameron will travel to Portugal and Spain on Friday to re- start negotiatio­ns over the terms of Britain’s membership. Downing Street dismissed as ‘ pure speculatio­n’ reports that he had ditched plans to restore the British opt-out from EU employment laws and will instead focus on trying to limit the impact of the Working Time Directive.

An Ipsos Mori poll of 7,000 people in nine countries found that 73 per cent of European voters believe the EU is ‘going in the wrong direction’.

Comment – Page 14

 ??  ?? Warning: Boris Johnson’s vote will depend on David Cameron’s EU renegotiat­ions
Warning: Boris Johnson’s vote will depend on David Cameron’s EU renegotiat­ions

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