The issue:

It has been 40 years since the British people last had their say on Europe in a referendum.

Achievements to date:

• Alok launched a local campaign in 2007 calling on the then Labour Government to honour its 2005 manifesto commitment to give the British people a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
• Alok welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister David Cameron in January 2013 that he would seek to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Europe and then hold an in-out referendum.
• Alok voted to support Conservative Party efforts to pass a Private Members Bill which would have given the British people a say on Europe for the first time in 40 years. Unfortunately, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats blocked the bill in Parliament.

Next steps:

• Alok will continue to support Conservative efforts to give the British people a say on Britain’s future in Europe.

Alok says:

“My own view is that the country’s best interest is in a reformed European Union focused on maximising trade and increasing competiveness, which is why I am delighted that the Prime Minister has committed to re-negotiating our position in Europe and to bringing back powers from Brussels to Westminster.”

“Only the Conservatives are voting to give the British people a say on Europe. Labour denied the British people a vote on the Lisbon Treaty in 2007 and now they want to refuse them a say again.”