Time to move on from the referendum panto

EUROPE has once again proved to be a fault line running through the main political parties. Last night, the House of Commons voted on whether to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Reform Treaty, the amended version of the earlier EU Constitutional Treaty. The idea of a referendum was defeated by 311 votes to 248, but there were back-bench rebellions in Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems.

During the 2005 general election, the three main UK parties each proposed to hold a referendum on the EU Constitutional Treaty.

Labour was categorical: "We will put it to the British people in a referendum and campaign wholeheartedly for a Yes vo...