BREAKING: Government defeated on EU spending plans by 13 votes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20157063
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/d...bate-Live.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBC News
EU budget vote: Rebel MPs defeat government over spending cut call
The government has been defeated in Parliament by 13 votes over its negotiating position on the EU budget.
Rebel Tory MPs joined with Labour and other parties to pass an amendment calling for a real-terms cut in spending between 2014 and 2020.
The coalition says it must be frozen in real terms as a minimum.
Although the vote is not binding on ministers, it is a blow to David Cameron's authority on Europe ahead of key talks next month.
MPs from all parties said the proposed 5% budget increase for the period was unacceptable at a time of austerity across the continent, one likening it to "Alice in Wonderland" economics.
Conservative rebels said Parliament would send a clear message and strengthen Mr Cameron's hand if they backed a spending cut.
But government supporters said it would be "nigh on impossible" to negotiate a reduction in spending and urged MPs to back Mr Cameron's call for an inflation-linked rise as the minimum acceptable outcome.
In a heated Commons debate, one ex-minister accused rebels of "self indulgence" reminiscent of Tory splits over Europe in the 1990s.
At Prime Minister's Questions earlier, the prime minister said he would veto any deal on the budget if he could not get a good deal for Britain and accused Labour of opportunism.
A victory tonight for those of us who want to start pulling back, and indeed the debate is swinging our way slowly but surely as compared with a few years ago. Whilst Labour voting with the motion is nothing more than them trying to cause trouble rather than the national interest (check their record on this issue), it at least shows how far we've moved this debate over the past few years that we now have them all on the run.
An insignificant victory tonight, but symbolic.
Thoughts?
