George Osborne pleaded with David Cameron not to hold an in/out referendum on the European Union, it emerged last night. Senior Tory sources revealed the Chancellor had repeatedly warned against the move in the run-up to the Prime Minister’s referendum pledge in 2013. Meanwhile a major new biography of Mr Cameron said the issue had opened up a ‘rare schism’ between the two men. The revelation that the Chancellor tried to block the referendum will raise eyebrows among Eurosceptic Tories, given his role as Mr Cameron’s lead negotiator in talks to secure a new deal with the EU. A spokesman for the Chancellor last night said it was ‘nonsense’ to suggest he had ever opposed holding an in/out vote.Osborne repeatedly warned against move before PM’s referendum pledgeHe warned PM referendum would not resolve tensions within Tory partyAlso said it would put party on wrong side of mainstream business opinionMajor new biography said issue opened up ‘rare schism’ between two men
‘He certainly expressed his opinion to _ that a referendum was not a good move,’ the source said.