A REFERENDUM campaign will be a golden opportunity to defeat the anti-Europeans, and I am very confident that, just as in 1975, those who oppose our membership of the EU will lose (and badly) when the people have their say.
The Tories' demand for a referendum has now been exposed as a ramp for their plans to take us out of the EU. In contrast, Labour has shown both a willingness to listen to the people and stick by its pro-European credentials.
When the proposals in the new treaty are explained, people will realise that they make sense. In contrast the Tories are relying on scares and falsehoods.
Because the Tories' objection is not to any new treaty, but to the EU itself, they know that they will be exposed during a campaign. Michael Howard opposed the treaties of Nice and Amsterdam, so when he talks about "re-negotiation" it is the current EU he seeks to dismantle, not some future proposal that he opposes.
Whatever Mr Howard may say today, the reality is that he will treat a "no" vote as a mandate to leave the EU and that is why he will lose.
GARY TITLEY MEP
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