Rebellion Within the Conservative Party Exposes Lethal Schism Over European Union Membership

Prime Minister David Cameron faced a fierce rebellion from within his own party on Monday, with dozens of Conservative members of Parliament defying orders and speaking out against Britain's membership in the European Union. The debate exposed a potentially lethal schism within Conservative ranks, with some members feeling betrayed by the government's stance on the issue. The motion calling for a referendum on whether Britain should withdraw from or renegotiate its relationship with the European Union was ultimately rejected, but not before sparking a heated debate that highlighted the deep divisions within the party.

Key Takeaways:

• 483 Conservative members of Parliament voted against the motion, while 111 voted in favor, exposing a potentially lethal schism within the party.
• The dispute highlighted the deep divisions within the Conservative Party, with some members feeling betrayed by the government's stance on the issue.
• Prime Minister David Cameron faced criticism from within his own party, with some members accusing him of being "weak" and "incompetent" for not addressing the issue of European Union membership.
• The government has taken a Euroskeptic line, criticizing the union's bureaucracy and waste, but has retained Britain's membership in the union and has been integral to recent negotiations about the euro zone crisis.
• The rebellion within the Conservative Party highlights the growing discontent among the British public with the European Union, with many feeling that the union is "running amok" and draining Britain's economy.
• Adam Holloway, a Conservative member of Parliament, resigned from his post as an aide to the minister for Europe, David Lidington, in protest of the government's stance on the referendum measure.
• William Hague, the foreign secretary, said the government had extracted important concessions from Europe, including a provision absolving Britain of liability for future euro zone bailouts.

Statistics:

• 483 Conservative members of Parliament voted against the motion out of 594 total Conservative members (81% of the party voted in opposition).
• 111 Conservative members of Parliament voted in favor of the motion (19% of the party voted in support).
• 11 members of the Conservative Party resigned or were willing to quit the government's Europe committee, including Adam Holloway (The Guardian).
• 40% of Conservative members of Parliament are Euroskeptics, down from 50% in 2010 (The Times).

Sources:

• The New York Times - "Rebellion Within Conservative Party in Parliament"
• The Guardian - "Adam Holloway resigns as aide to David Lidington"
• The Times - "Miliband says Cameron has been 'utterly delusional'"
• The Evening Standard - "David Cameron's statement in full"