The Conservatives have unveiled the question which will be posed in a referendum on Britain’s future in Europe if David Cameron wins the next general election.
Voters will be asked the yes-or-no question: “Do you think that the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union?”
The wording was revealed in a draft bill published by the Conservative Party, amid a continuing row within the coalition Government over the way forward on Europe.
Tory backbenchers have been given free rein by Mr Cameron to vote for an amendment in the House of Commons, attacking the coalition’s Queen’s Speech for failing to include legislation for the referendum in 2017.
Mr Cameron cannot table the bill as Government legislation because of opposition from Liberal Democrat coalition partners but hopes that a Conservative MP will adopt it as a Private Member’s Bill.
He denied he had been panicked into bringing forward a referendum Bill in a bid to quell Tory unrest and insisted he was showing “leadership” on Europe and acting in the national interest by demanding better terms for Britain.
He admitted he was “frustrated” at being restrained by his Liberal Democrat coalition partners but said his party would reap the benefits when the “dust settled” and the public saw only the Conservatives were offering a choice on EU membership.
Mr Cameron was asked whether he had “panicked”.
“Not at all,” he said. “If this was a Conservative-only government we would just get on and legislate. We can’t do that because we are in coalition.
“But I have always said that anything we can do to strengthen, add credibility to the pledge… we should do.”
Mr Cameron rejected as “completely wrong” the idea that he was constantly shifting his position under pressure from his rank-and-file.
He said: “When all the dust has settled I think that people will be able to see that there is one party, the Conservative Party, offering that in-out referendum and two other mainstream parties, the Liberal Democrats and Labour, who oppose an in-out referendum.
“It is in the national interest to change Europe and change the relationship with Europe.”
He conceded some Tories wanted to have a referendum immediately, but added: “That’s not my view. People need to know that this is a serious pledge that they can bank.”