Cameron under pressure for Europe referendum

The number demanding a referendum is enough to trigger a parliamentary debate on the issue – potentially highly awkward for the Prime Minister. Mr Cameron again insisted yesterday that there was “no case” for a national poll on membership of the European Union.

“I want us to be influential in Europe about the things that matter to our national interest – promoting the single market, pushing forward for growth, making sure we get lower energy prices,” he told MPs.

“Those are things we will be fighting for but I don’t see the case for an in out referendum on Europe.

“We are in Europe, we have got to make it work for us.”

Under a new e-petition scheme set up by the Government, any suggestion that receives more than 100,000 signatures online is passed to parliament’s backbench business committee so a debate can be organised.

However, Commons leader Sir George Young has apparently assured the Europe campaigners that traditional pen-and-ink versions will be treated the same. Independent MEP Nikki Sinclaire was accompanied by MPs including Labour’s Kelvin Hopkins and Kate Hoey when the petition was handed in yesterday.

“This is an encouraging development and raises the prospect of an early debate on our continued membership of the EU,” she said.