Renegotiation: A false choice, not a fresh start

In common with the majority of people in this country, I believe the time for a referendum on our EU membership is long overdue. What Britain voted in 1975 to remain a member of the Common Market in no way resembles the wholly integrated European Union construct that we are part of today. Whether one is in favour of or opposed to continuing in that project of ever closer union, we can all agree that the time for asking the people their say on this crucial issue is fast approaching.

The only way a referendum can include that wide array of opinion of course is to ask the people a clear and simple question: do they want the United Kingdom to be ‘In’ or ‘Out’ of the European Union? This leaves no wiggle room for politicians to fiddle with or manipulate the question to their liking. A referendum on renegotiating our EU relationship would do just that.

By hinting that the question might be along the lines of asking whether people want to see powers returned, David Cameron and his supporters are turning what should be an inclusive exercise in popular democracy into a party political objective. I simply do not support  a referendum that would essentially be based on the Prime Minister’s ability [or lack thereof] to negotiate in Brussels. His last attempt in December  2011 failed miserably.

Since then, he has clearly told Greek voters to support parties that would save the Euro via ever more savage austerity. And he and the Chancellor, among others, are prepared to see Brussels take more powers over budgets and fiscal policy. At this rate, there may be little point in standing for election in, say, Greece, Italy or Spain because the remaining powers left to elected representatives will be negligible.

An In/Out referendum would unite people from all parties (and none) and from across the spectrum of opinion on the EU in its inclusive appeal. It is why I am a supporter of the People’s Pledge campaign, which counts many politicians from all different parties and well over 120,000 people among its signatories in demanding a say on whether we stay in or get out. Many in the Labour Party, from MPs to the grassroots, have backed giving the public this say but most of the media have long been content to paint this debate as belonging to a Right-wing ghetto. It has languished there for too many years, excluding the Left from taking part. Such arrogance from the Westminster elite wilfully ignores public opinion on this issue. On Europe, it is the British Establishment that is out of touch.

A token, piecemeal ‘in-in’ referendum on renegotiation or repatriation will neither please nor fool anyone. Poll after poll and local constituency votes conducted by the People’s Pledge have shown overwhelming support for an In/Out question. The idea that we should have a referendum on changing our current relationship, without first knowing the exact deal the Tories would be seeking on the whole country’s behalf, is nonsensical and would have little public support. There is a huge range of views among British voters on our relationship with the EU. But asking an in/out question is clear and accountable.

I have a duty to my constituents to ask them fair and square whether they want to stay in the European Union or not. We have a collective duty to settle this whole question once and for all. The public deserves clarity. A referendum is about taking a debate that has long been the domain of political elites to the people and including them in the conversation. Renegotiation is about reserving that conversation for the elite. I know which one I would prefer.

John Cryer is the Labour MP for Leyton and Wanstead