A referendum on Britain’s relationship with the European Union would be “silly” and is only of interest to “a few extreme nationalist politicians,” Kenneth Clarke has said.
The Justice Secretary launched a sustained attack on advocates of a popular vote on Europe, which he described as “a total irrelevance” that would create turmoil and undermine Britain’s economic credibility. In a BBC Radio Four interview, he dismissed those seeking a referendum as “frenzied eurosceptics”. Mr Clarke, a longstanding supporter of the EU, made the comments amid growing pressure from Conservative MPs for the Government to take a harder line on European issues. Some Conservative MPs are arguing that a Greek exit from the euro should trigger a vote on Britain’s relationship with the EU. Some ministers are urging David Cameron to take a more eurosceptic line to address a recent fall in the Government’s popularity.
Mr Clarke dismissed those suggestions as irresponsible.