Britain took a step towards holding a public vote on whether it should remain in the European Union when members of parliament backed an effort to enshrine the referendum promise in law, Reuters reported. Prime Minister David Cameron is backing the draft legislation as a way to help bridge damaging divides over Europe in his Conservative party. It is also designed to counter the threat of euro-sceptic voters defecting to the anti-EU UK Independence Party at the next general election in 2015. The bill, promising a referendum before the end of 2017, passed through the lower chamber of parliament on Friday despite opposition lawmakers' attempts to filibuster it. Because neither the Liberal Democrats, Cameron's junior coalition partners, nor the opposition Labour party support the call for a referendum, the proposal is being pushed through via an unorthodox legislative channel which imposes strict time limits on debates and reduces its chances of becoming law. Cameron supports Britain remaining part of the EU, but wants to renegotiate the country's role in the 28-nation bloc. -- SPA 19:52 LOCAL TIME 16:52 GMT تغريد
