(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
British lawmakers have backed Prime Minister David Cameron's plan for a referendum on Britain's European Union membership.
The heated debate on the bill saw the Prime Minister facing unrest within his own Conservative ranks.
Mr Cameron, who won a Conservative majority in the general election last month, has pledged to renegotiate Britain's ties with Europe.
He wants to give voters a referendum on remaining in the EU by the end of 2017.
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"Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union?"
That's the question that voters may be asked, if a referendum goes ahead.
Members of parliament overwhelmingly voted to pass the EU Referendum Bill, which sets out the rules for the plebiscite, at the second reading in parliament.
There were 544 votes in favour, to 53 against.
"This is a simple, but vital piece of legislation. It has one clear purpose - to deliver on our purpose to give the British people the final say on our EU membership in an in-out referendum by the end of 2017,"
The bill has the support of the opposition Labour Party.
"We support this bill and its passage through parliament,"
Referring to her party's support, MP Diane Abbott, says there might be much to gain.
"Those of us who were in this house for the John Major administration watched the government party fall apart under the pressure of their rows on Europe, and we look forward cheerfully to it happening again,"
The contentious debate saw the government assailed from all sides.
It even highlighted passions that appear to be splitting the Conservative Party.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says a referendum will allow a generation of voters to have their say.
"An entire generation of British voters have been denied the chance to have a say on our relationship with the European Union and Mr Speaker, today we are putting that right."
Owen Paterson is a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party.
He raised a number of concerns over the referendum.
"If the British people sense that there's no fairness, that this is being rigged against them, that the deluge of local government, of national government and above all European government money and propaganda can be dropped on them, that will be unacceptable. That will go down extremely badly with the British people and what really worries me..this extraordinary moment in our history, this incredibly important moment, could be seen to be illegitimate."
But Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says there will be nothing of the sort.
"I can assure the house that the government has no intention of undermining those campaigns and is not proposing to spend large sums of public money during the purdah period."
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