EU purdah changes unacceptable say MPs

Mr Jenkin said the rule change could have major implications for the conduct of the EU and other referendums

Any relaxation of so-called purdah rules in the run-up to the referendum on EU membership would be "completely unacceptable", MPs have said.

The Public Administration Committee said it was unconvinced by ministers' arguments it was needed to allow them to continue the work of government.

In a critical report, it said such a move would "cast a shadow of doubt over the propriety" of the referendum.

More than 20 Conservative MPs rebelled over the issue in a vote last month.

David Cameron has said a referendum will be held before the end of 2017 on the UK's future place in Europe following a renegotiation of the existing terms of British membership.

As part of a bill paving the way for the referendum, ministers are seeking to "disapply" aspects of a law which, since 2000, has stipulated what announcements the government can make in the 28 days leading up to a referendum.

They argue that leaving the restrictions in place would prevent ministers from commenting on the outcomes of European Council meetings or legal judgements by European institutions, effectively harming the conduct of government.

'Huge advantage'

David Cameron has also said that once the government has agreed the outcome of the renegotiating process, it will not remain neutral on whether the UK should remain in the EU.

But Conservative eurosceptics say this could allow the machinery of government to be used to press the case for the UK to remain within the European Union and compromise the referendum.

EU referendum in focus

David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means:

Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum

UK and the EU: Better off out or in?

What Britain wants from Europe

Timeline: EU referendum debate

Following a brief inquiry in which it took evidence from current and ex-ministers, as well as constitutional experts, the cross-party committee said it was urging ministers to rethink their position when MPs consider the EU Referendum Bill again in the autumn.

In a letter to Europe minister David Lidington, the committee chairman Bernard Jenkin said there was no case for modifying Section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act setting out limits on government activity in the run-up to the referendum.

Under the terms of the existing law, he said ministers would not be prevented from explaining the outcome of the renegotiations prior to the start of the 28-day period or arguing for either side once the formal campaign had begun.

But he said MPs should resist anything which would give one side a "huge advantage" over the other during the final stages.

"In your appearance before the committee, you could neither advance specific evidence that Section 125 has restricted government in any unreasonable way in past referendums nor that it could do so in this forthcoming referendum," Mr Jenkin said.

"While we accept your good faith that it is not your intention, the government's proposal has cast a cloud of doubt over the propriety of the process, even at this early stage. We regard this as completely unacceptable."

Speaking on Tuesday, the most senior civil servant in the UK said there was a danger of ministers being "hobbled" unless the rules were relaxed. Sir Jeremy Heywood also warned the government could face legal challenges.