Michael Gove would back Britain leaving the EU
But he insisted he firmly backed Prime Minister David Cameron’s strategy to seek the return of powers before putting a new relationship to an in/out vote by 2017 and played down a planned rebel Queen’s Speech vote as MPs “letting off steam”.
He said he intended to abstain if an amendment calling for paving legislation to cement the referendum pledge was put to a vote this week – after ministers were told not to back it.
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Hide AdSeveral had otherwise been tipped to join up to 100 backbenchers who have been given free rein to effectively vote against part of their own government’s Queen’s Speech programme.
Asked about reports last year that he told friends he would vote No if there was a referendum now, Mr Gove said: “Yes, I’m not happy with our position with the