MPs claim voters want powers back, not a referendum

The motion, which called for a referendum on leaving the EU to be held during the life of this parliament, was debated after more than 100,000 people signed a petition.

All Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs were ordered to vote against it but amid a defeat of 483 votes to 111, more than half the Tory backbenchers rebelled.

Neither Warwick and Leamington MP Chris White, MP for Kenilworth and Southam Jeremy Wright nor Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi were among them.

Speaking to a meeting of Leamington’s Chamber of Trade last Friday, Mr White said pulling out of Europe would be a “major mistake” and called the debate “an unnecessary distraction”.

He said: “There should be a time when we can discuss whether there should be a referendum on Europe. What we need to go back to is a Europe that a lot of people signed up to, which was a market.

“I do hear my European colleagues talking about the myths of straight bananas, but that’s not the biggest joke. The biggest joke is not having their accounts signed off.

“There are some big problems with Europe, but there would be bigger problems if we pulled out.”

Kenilworth and Southam MP Jeremy Wright, a government whip, said he did not believe his constituents wanted a referendum, citing the low number of emails he had received.

He said there was a “misunderstanding” that the Conservatives had promised an ‘in-out’ referendum, explaining the manifesto pledge had been on ratifying the Lisbon treaty.

Despite describing himself as “undoubtedly” a eurosceptic and not ruling out future withdrawal, he said it was in the national interest for the UK to remain a member for now.

In a speech Stratford MP Nadhim Zahawi was unable to give but published on his website, he said the EU would remain our largest single market “for some time”.

He added that there was no demand from business to leave the EU, as it attracted business and investment, questioning whether Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota, or other car manufacturers would come to the UK if it left.

And he said the eurozone crisis was an opportunity to renegotiate treaties and regain social, employment and justice rights.

He added: “Now is not the right time to be introducing uncertainty into the future of the UK European relationship.”