It's expected that as many as 70 Conservative MPs will go against the Prime Minister in today's referendum vote on Britain's future in the EU making it the party's largest rebellion over Europe. Despite personal calls by the Prime Minister to some MPs and reports of heavy-handed tactics by the whips many MPs remain defiant.

Foreign Secretary William Hague says, "Clearly our whole relationship with the European Union is a matter that concerns the government as a whole and not just something for the House of Commons to put up some graffiti about. It was not in the manifestos of either of the governing parties, it cuts right across the rules for holding referendums, it will create additional economic uncertainty in this country at a difficult economic time."

Despite the Tory rebellion it is not expected that the government will lose the vote as both Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs are being asked to vote against the motion too. The result, it seems, will probably go against public opinion which is on the side of a referendum, especially as it's 35 years since they were last consulted on the issue.

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