78% of Tory members support common market or out

By Tim Montgomerie
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On Friday and Saturday more than 1,500 Tory members answered a special survey on what Cameron should say in his Europe speech. Here are the results (also featured in The Times (£))...

When is the ideal time to hold a referendum?

• In this Parliament, on or before the date of the June 2014 European parliamentary elections: 48%
• On the day of the next general election: 16%
• Sometime in the next parliament - after the Prime Minister has attempted to renegotiate Britain's relationship with Europe and after the immediate economic crisis has passed: 26%
• I do not support a referendum at all: 9%

What is the best way of reassuring the British people that the Conservative Party will hold a referendum about Britain's relationship with Europe? YOU MAY TICK AS MANY AS YOU AGREE WITH.

• A simple manifesto commitment will be enough: 18%
• The Prime Minister should announce a specific date for the referendum and promise to resign if a referendum is not held on that day: 50%
• It should be held on the day of the next general election: 19%
• Legislation should be introduced in this parliament, establishing the timing and nature of the promised referendum: 57%
• I do not support a referendum: 9%

Which of the following options for referenda do you support? TICK AS MANY AS APPLY.

• A referendum in this parliament that would give the British government a mandate to negotiate a new relationship with Europe, based on trade and political cooperation: 46%
• A referendum in the next parliament which would ratify any new Treaty or send the government back to the negotiating table: 20%
• A referendum in the next parliament which would give the British people the choice of staying in the European Union (perhaps on a renegotiated basis) or leaving: 61%
• I do not support a referendum: 10%

Please say which of the following options most appeals to you:

• Britain becomes a fuller member of a deeper European Union: 4%
• Britain's relationship with the European Union stays the same: 2%
• Britain wins some powers back from the European Union but remains a member: 16%
• Britain wins a common market relationship with the European Union: 40%
• Britain leaves the European Union altogether: 38%

What is the MAIN reason that David Cameron is making a big speech on Europe?

• Because he wants Britain to have a fundamentally different relationship with Europe: 8%
• Because he wants some limited changes to Britain's relationship with Europe: 8%
• Because he needs to respond to the growing Euroscepticism within the Conservative Party and within the electorate: 85%.

That 85% answer to the last question is a shocker.