Poll claims 88% of British public want referendum on EU treaty
The campaign group want a referendum on the European Union's Lisbon Treaty
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Sunday, 02, Mar 2008 03:09
A private poll undertaken by the I Want a Referendum campaign has declared that 88 per cent of British people want a referendum on the European Union's Lisbon Treaty.
The campaign group said that their poll was undertaken by postal vote in 10 parliamentary constituencies and showed overwhelming support for a referendum.
A total of 152,520 people voted in the unofficial ballot, with 133,251 backing the call for a referendum.
The voters were also asked if the UK should approve the Lisbon Treaty, with 89 per cent voting against the treaty and only 8 per cent voting in favour.
Higher education minister Bill Rammell dismissed the poll as unrepresentative and described it as a "flawed exercise".
The ballot was carried out in 10 marginal Labour and Liberal Democrat constituencies including those of home secretary Jacqui Smith, transport secretary Ruth Kelly, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne and Mr Rammell's own Harlow constituency.
"There are some real questions to be answered by the organisers," Mr Rammell told the BBC's Politics Show.
"Why 10 Labour and Liberal Democrat marginal constituencies? Why not one referendum in Ken Clarke's constituency, who is arguing against a referendum?"
Derek Scott, former Downing Street aide and the chairman of the campaign group said the ballot was not run in Conservative seats because "it is the Labour and Liberal Democrat frontbench who have broken their word".
The campaign is backed by former Labour ministers Kate Hoey and Frank Fields but is regularly accused of being a Tory organisation.
The poll comes ahead of a House of Commons vote on Wednesday, when MPs will vote on a Conservative amendment to the EU Treaty Bill, calling for a referendum.