Cost of Living

Debate between Jim Dowd and David Anderson

Tuesday 14th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Jim Dowd]

I can tell the hon. Gentleman quite honestly that I would not accuse him of being a fruitcake—

[Mr Anderson]

Why not?

[Jim Dowd]

But I entirely understand that there may be those who would.

The argument needs to be heard. The other day I received a message from a constituent who was an avowed Tory voter at the last election—in the Bromley part of my constituency; there are not many Tory voters left in the Lewisham part—

[Mr Anderson]

Any Liberal Democrats?

[Jim Dowd]

A few.

My constituent resented the suggestions that were being made about the referendum, because no one had put the idea to the electorate at the last election. I expect the issue to be a key part of the next general election campaign, and I think that we should offer people a referendum on it.

Labour is the only party that has ever given people in this country a referendum. Back in 1975, under the Wilson Government, the referendum was on whether we accepted the revised terms under which we would remain in what was then the European Economic Community. Scottish and Welsh devolution, the forming of the Greater London Authority, the direct election of a Mayor of London and elected mayors in cities across the country have all spawned referendums, and all of them were instituted by a Labour Government. The closest that a Conservative Government have ever got was being forced into a referendum on electoral reform and the alternative vote by the terms of the coalition agreement.