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Labour MPs and Tory rebels will join forces on Monday in a bid to scupper David Cameron’s EU referendum arrangements, writes Nigel Nelson in the Sunday People.

They will accuse the PM of trying to get round election rules governing the handling of next year’s campaign to ensure a yes vote.

Eurosceptic Tories are furious because they want a no result.

And Labour - which wants to keep Britain in Europe - says there will be no public confidence in the result if the campaign is not conducted fairly.

As the Commons comes back for the first day after Parliament’s Summer break, the unlikely allies will try to vote down Mr Cameron’s proposals in Monday's key EU debate.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn said: “It’s really important we have a full national debate.

"That’s why the rules governing the fair conduct of the referendum are important."

The row is over public money being spent during the campaign on ministers, aides and officials putting the Government’s case.

Mr Cameron has agreed they will not be able to speak out on the referendum question directly.

But he says they could still talk about subjects associated with it like immigration, climate change and fisheries without breaking the law.

Labour has cried foul.

Mr Benn added: “Ministers should not be able to use civil servants or special advisers for campaigning.

“But we are willing to look at excemptions for normal European business.”

Robert Oxley, of Business for Britain, said: “Rules on taxpayer funded government campaigning have cross party support.

“Zero evidence has been provided to justify weakening them.”

But Europe minister David Liddington says ministers must be allowed to speak on “a European or international emergency like the migrant crisis.”

We must stay in EU

(Image: Getty)

The case for Britain to remain part of Europe is overwhelming, writes Hilary Benn.

The EU has brought jobs, growth, investment, security and increased global influence.

There are things about the European Union that need changing.

But Labour believes that these can best be dealt with by working with other European countries and not by leaving.

That’s why Labour is campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU.

In a general election or a referendum, the government is not allowed to use government resources to campaign. This is because it would be unfair to give one side an advantage.

But David Cameron’s government originally proposed to remove these rules. This is something that Labour and others do not accept.

These rules should be put back into the Bill, with exemptions for “normal business”.

I urge the Government to accept our fair approach so we can get on with the real debate.