Ex-Tory Minister Issues EU Referendum Warning

A former Cabinet minister will today warn Parliament that the EU referendum will be viewed as being "fought on a skewed basis" by a move to allow unlimited spending by public bodies to promote a Yes vote right up to the vote.

Owen Paterson told Sky News it was a "great day" that he and his colleagues were finally getting the vote they had wanted for many years.

But he said he would "regretfully" criticise the Prime Minister over the unusual decision to allow the Government to use its muscle and money to "issue propaganda" within 28 days of the poll.

The proposal to remove campaign restrictions has also been called into question by the Electoral Commission watchdog which says it is "disappointed and concerned".

It warned that it undermined regulation and "could give an unfair advantage to one side of the argument".

Mr Paterson, a former environment secretary, said: "What's critical is the referendum is fair."

His intervention will come during the first Parliamentary debate over the bill, which will start the process for a referendum to be held by the end of 2017.

Other calls from MPs across the House will include:

:: 16 and 17-year-olds to be given the vote

:: the referendum not to clash with Scottish and local elections on 5 May, 2016

:: EU nationals to be allowed to participate

Despite Mr Paterson's concerns, David Cameron can expect significant support from his own back benches.

One senior Eurosceptic MP said there would be an "outpouring of loyalty" for the Conservative leader for making the referendum a reality.

He pointed out that today's debate was not about the renegotiation process - over which there are misgivings - but about ensuring the vote actually happens, something many Tories have wanted for years.

The Prime Minister will be in Westminster for the debate, following some controversy over the issue.

During the G7 he was forced to clarify comments to the media that were interpreted as a warning to ministers that they would be sacked if they did not campaign to stay in the EU.

After a backlash, Mr Cameron said he simply wanted the support of his ministers during the renegotiation process.

Boris Johnson has also said ministers should be allowed to campaign to leave the EU in the referendum.

Speaking during his weekly phone-in on LBC radio, the London mayor said: "Just thinking about it out loud I think it would probably be safer and more harmonious just to say 'OK, make your minds up'."

Labour is planning to support the principle of the bill - in a shift of position since the General Election - but will call for 16- and 17-year-olds to be included in the vote.

It will also say it does not want the referendum to be held on 5 May next year as the Electoral Commission does not think that would be appropriate.

Writing in the Huffington Post, Hilary Benn, shadow foreign secretary, said: "Scotland has given us a glimpse of what enfranchising 16 and 17-year-olds can mean. Over 80% of them registered to vote in the referendum last year. They participated and brought energy and vitality to the debate."

The move will be backed by Liberal Democrats, who have also decided not to block the overall passage of the bill.

However, the Scottish National Party will say it plans to vote against the Bill because it fails to meet the "gold standard" of the Scottish referendum. In particular, they are angry about plans to prevent EU nationals living and working in the UK from voting.

Over a million people from the continent will be unable to vote because the referendum is following the "franchise" used in General Elections.

The SNP also want younger people to be able to vote, and they want a "double majority" rule to be included.

That would say that any decision to leave the EU could only take place if all four UK countries - Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland - each had a majority in favour of out.