Ed Milliband has now indicated that he would only support an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, if there was a treaty proposing a further transfer of powers from Westminster to Brussels, should Labour win next year's British general election. Mr Milliband also indicates that he considers this to be an unlikely scenario.
The issue of Europe has not been a particularly divisive issue within the Labour Party over the last twenty five years. However, it has been a very big problem in the Conservative Party throughout this period. Therefore, is Milliband putting party interest ahead of national interest?
It could well be that by not putting the question to the people, the issue of Europe could continue to see a divided Conservative Party in opposition. Europe is arguably the issue which has divided the Tories the most since the Corn Laws!
What Ed Milliband's new position does not do is support the interest of the country at large, including many Labour voters. Also, history does show that Labour were previously divided on Europe in the 1970s, prompting the then Labour Premier Harold Wilson to hold an in-out referendum in 1975, after securing renegotiated membership terms of what was then known as the Common Market.
Graham Stringer and John Mann are two Labour MPs who have come out against their leader's stance. Both men are clearly in touch with British public opinion, which is telling them that a referendum is what the people want! Should Labour win next year's election, it is far from certain that they would secure a healthy parliamentary majority, if indeed they are a majority government at all!
If Messrs Stringer and Mann continue to be ignored, could that pave the way for Labour to endure similar divisions as the Tories? I will predict one thing- there will be other MPs in addition to Stringer and Mann, who will be at odds with Milliband over this!
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