Voters must wait for a chance to express their views in an EU referendum insists Claire Perry

An early referendum to give voters an opportunity to express their views on whether the UK should stay in or pull out of Europe is “undeliverable”, according to Devizes Tory MP Claire Perry, who is now a government assistant whip.

She reveals that she will support the Private Members’ Bill tabled by fellow Tory MP James Wharton, which returns to the Commons tomorrow (Friday) and, if passed, will legislate for a referendum on Britain’s EU relationship by the end of 2017.

“This is a piece of legislation that I am very pleased to support as I believe that the views of the British people have been ignored when politicians discuss Britain’s relationship with Europe and the discussion seems to happen in a fact-free vacuum,” Mrs Perry writes in her local newspaper column, which is repeated on her website.

“The government’s current process of understanding the costs and benefits of our European links, repatriating important powers and then legislating for a referendum seems to me to be both sensible and achievable.”

And despite the clamour from Tory backbenchers for an early referendum – and the dramatic rise in support for UKIP – Mrs Perry insists that voters will have to wait, possibly up to four years, before having a chance to express their views.

“There are those who call for an earlier referendum but that is undeliverable in a Coalition government,” she explains.  “And it is striking that the Labour Party has yet to express a view on this hugely important issue.”

James Gray, Tory MP for neighbouring North Wiltshire, followed in Claire Perry’s footsteps.

“I am delighted to support James Wharton’s excellent Private Members Bill, which writes an in/out referendum on our EU membership into law,” he said.

“The Bill is the best possible route to make sure we have a referendum on our EU membership in 2017, so that we can try and sort out the mess which the EU has become.”

He added: “This is an historic Bill to give people the right to decide on the EU. It gives the UK the time to try to negotiate a better deal in Europe so we can offer the people the choice they want: in the EU under the new settlement we negotiate, or out altogether.”

Meanwhile, the CBI, the major UK employers’ organisations, is now making the case for continued European Union membership.

Research it has carried out says that Britain can best benefit from increased global trade from inside the EU, declaring that each household in the country benefits to the tune of £3,000 a year as a result of our remaining EU members.

A survey has revealed that eight out of 10 CBI members, including 77 per cent of small and medium-sized firms, say they would vote for Britain to remain in the EU if the referendum was held tomorrow.  And that is despite drawbacks such as creeping regulation and waning competitiveness.