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Trouble brewing?

Mark D'Arcy | 12:42 UK time, Wednesday, 16 March 2011

Is Euro-rebellion brewing in the Commons tonight? The rival tribes of Conservative Eurosceptics have made common cause against .

There's quite a backstory to this. First the Eurosceptics are unconvinced by Treasury protestations that the bailout mechanism would not require a British contribution. Second, they are very concerned that Britain does not appear to have extracted any concessions in return for signing up.

The treaty changes are being made via the "passerelle" mechanism under which the Lisbon Treaty can be changed - in some areas - simply by unanimous agreement of all member states. Yesterday at , the Conservative backbencher Peter Bone asked why the government hadn't demanded a relaxation of the EU working time directive in Britain as the price of British agreement, and was batted away by the Europe Minister David Liddington. In this respect, at least, they say, the British should be more like the French.

MPs will get the chance to debate the issue for 90 minutes tonight, and there is an amendment down declining to approve the treaty change. Interestingly, it is signed by both the old guard Maastrichtista Eurosceptics like Bill Cash, Richard Shepherd and Bernard Jenkin, and by former Europe Minister David Davis, as well as by new wave Eurosceptics like Richard Drax and Douglas Carswell. (Plus Labour's Kelvin Hopkins.)

The benchmark for Euro-rebellion so far in this Parliament was the 37 Conservatives who voted against the government on Britain's contribution to the EU Budget last October. That is just short of half the government majority - or to put it another way, close to being enough to tip the balance in a vote where Labour didn't side with the Coalition. Of course, you're then into looking at how much backing the government might have from minor parties who count as the "opposition". It is possible to imagine the government being able to withstand a major rebellion with the assistance of, say, the DUP or Nationalists - perhaps at a price.

My point is that the continuous rumbling of Euro-discontent that has been present in the background throughout this Parliament, shows no sign of going away. There is little expectation of a government defeat - but there could be a substantial shot across its bows.

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