David Cameron to take on the 'Ukip fruitcakes’ with EU referendum

David Cameron is preparing to introduce legislation to ensure that a referendum is held on Britain’s membership of the European Union, in an attempt to avert the growing electoral threat from the UK Independence Party.

David Cameron to take on the 'Ukip fruitcakes’ with EU referendum
Leader of UKIP Nigel Farage, reacts as he looks at the latest edition of Private eye magazine during a visit to Ramsey in Cambridgeshire while on the local election campaign trail Credit: Photo: PA

The Prime Minister, who has described Ukip supporters as “fruitcakes”, said that he was prepared to introduce legal safeguards before the end of the current parliament to guarantee that a referendum takes place after the general election. Previously he has promised to call a vote only if he is re-elected in 2015.

The legislation would be designed to demonstrate that he is committed to calling an in-out vote by 2018 after Ukip and other sceptics claimed that his pledge was meaningless.

The introduction of the legislation in the coming months, which also follows demands from Conservative back-bench MPs, would throw down the gauntlet to Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband, who would have to make their position clear on a referendum.

Ukip is expected to enjoy another surge in support on Thursday in local government elections taking place in many English shires.

The party, led by Nigel Farage, is forecast to win more than 20 per cent of the vote, with Conservative strategists predicting that Mr Cameron’s party will lose up to 500 council seats. Ukip has campaigned successfully on the claim that Mr Cameron’s existing promise of a referendum is “jam tomorrow”.

Having previously dismissed the Ukip threat, the Prime Minister is now taking the party seriously and is attempting to address the policy issues raised by its surge in support.

In an interview, Mr Cameron said the Conservatives needed to “demonstrate absolutely that we are serious about this referendum”.

He added: “I look forward to publishing a Bill, to getting support for it, to doing everything I can to show to people at the next election there will be a real choice: if you want a party that’s going to reform the European Union and Britain’s place in it, and then give you a proper in-out choice, there only is one option – that is the Conservative Party. “So anything we can do to strengthen that offer, as it were, I’m prepared to consider.”

Conservative sources said that Mr Cameron was prepared to bring forward legislation, even it failed to be enacted because it was blocked by the Liberal Democrats and Labour — an outcome that would send a strong signal that the Tories are committed to a referendum, unlike the other main parties.

The move appeared designed to counter the success of Ukip, which is now third in the polls behind Labour and the Tories, leaving the Liberal Democrats trailing in fourth place. Downing Street is preparing for another weekend of Conservative dissent if the local elections represent a poor result for Mr Cameron. Aides believe that the pre-emptive offer to consider legislation will help to address some of the concerns of voters, as will new measures on pensions and social care contained in next week’s Queen’s Speech.

Mr Cameron played down the importance of the local polls and insisted that Baroness Thatcher faced worse situations between general election wins.

He said: “Of course, it’s mid-term, a government’s had to make difficult decisions, we’re responsible for making a series of difficult cuts and difficult choices, I think people understand that, but often it’s not welcome and often it can lead to people feeling frustrated.” He added: “If you look at Margaret Thatcher’s governments, she tended to be much further behind in mid-term than the Conservative Party is now. She knew that the job of government is to take difficult decisions on behalf of the country, to turn the country round, to get the big calls right, and that’s what this Government is doing.”

The elections are expected to be bad news for the other main parties, with Labour unlikely to make major breakthroughs in southern England and Ed Miliband struggling to secure the 35 per cent share of the vote necessary for a general election win. Mr Miliband is judged to have had a poor campaign. The focus will be on key areas in the Midlands, such as Derbyshire, which ought to be won back by Labour if Mr Miliband has any hope of winning a national poll.

The Conservatives fear that Ukip may split its vote in some areas, allowing Labour to win council seats.

The Lib Dems have appeared to concede defeat. Asked whether the party could come fourth behind Ukip by Channel 4 News, Nick Clegg said: “You know we have been beaten by Ukip before in the polls, in the European elections of 2009.” When asked if he was “braced” for defeat the Deputy Prime Minister replied: “No, what I’m saying is that these things come and go in politics. I’ve seen them in my time come and go. Ukip beat us in 2009 – a year later we won 24 per cent of the vote in the general election, Ukip were nowhere.”

Mr Cameron initially won support from rebel MPs after he promised a referendum in the second half of the next parliament. Since then, many backbenchers have urged him to go further.

Earlier this year, John Baron, the Basildon and Billericay MP, organised 100 colleagues who signed a letter urging Mr Cameron to consider new laws.

Mr Baron said the issue had been “subject to cynical politics for too long” and there was “no downside in trying to pass this legislation”.

“If [legislation] were voted down, it would be abundantly clear which politicians are with the public in their wish for a referendum,” he added.