No cash limit on Brussels’ fight to keep Britain in EU

SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT VOTERS face being bombarded with pro-Europe propaganda in the months leading up to the referendum as there is no limit on how much Brussels can spend on efforts to keep Britain in the European Union, campaigners warn.

The European Commission has formed a task force in Brussels to oversee an “information” campaign in the run-up to the in/out referendum, which is expected to be held next year. Campaigners calling for Britain to leave the EU now fear they will be outgunned in the debate by pro-European political parties and the Commission.

Since the Commission is based overseas, it is exempt from having to comply with the UK election laws that limit the amounts the British campaigns will be able to spend on advertising in the months leading up to the referendum.

The Vote Leave campaign last night called for public donations to build up a “war chest” for its campaign.

Brussels intervened with publicity activities in the referendum in Croatia in 2012, which led to the country joining the EU after voters backed membership, and in a referendum in Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

Matthew Elliott, the chief executive of the Vote Leave group, said there was nothing to stop the European Commission sending direct mail to every voter in the UK in an attempt to scare the public into voting to stay in the EU.

“The referendum rules have been rigged so that pro-EU campaigners can hugely outspend the leave campaign,” he said. “All UK-based campaigners will have spending limits placed on them. The only organisation exempt from these rules will be the EU itself.

“UK voters can expect to hear a barrage of pro-EU propaganda from ‘Eurocrats’ during the referendum.” The warning came after David Cameron received a potential boost in his attempt to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s EU membership.

The Prime Minister’s plan to ban European migrants from receiving inwork benefits until they have lived and paid taxes in Britain for four years has been vetoed by other EU leaders amid fierce opposition in eastern Europe.

However, there are reports that the French and German governments are willing to offer Mr Cameron a limited three-year ban as a compromise, which British officials are said to be keen to accept. The Prime Minister is aiming to reach a final deal on his renegotiation package with EU leaders at a summit in February, paving the way for a referendum later in 2016.

However, Douglas Carswell the Ukip MP, suggested that the possible deal on benefits curbs had been “choreographed” by No 10 and Brussels to make Mr Cameron appear to have won a significant prize through his negotiations.

‘The rules have been rigged so that pro-EU campaigners can hugely outspend the leave campaign’