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Live coverage of the House of Lords
The House of Lords is debating a bill that would allow a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU in 2017.
PM David Cameron has already pledged to hold a referendum in 2017 if the Tories win the next election. The bill, introduced by Tory MP James Wharton, would write the pledge into law.
The bill passed its final stage in the Commons in November despite Labour and Lib Dem efforts to delay its passage.
It is likely to face a tougher time in the Lords, where it could be derailed.
"Start Quote
End Quote Lords Dobbs Conservative peerThis bill is needed and it is very much wanted"
It is now being debated at second reading, the parliamentary stage at which MPs or peers consider the general principles of the legislation.
By convention, peers rarely vote against legislation at this stage, but sometimes seek to delay it.
Labour peer Lord Richard warned that if peers did not make sufficiently rapid progress in the debate he might seek to force a second day of second-reading debate.
That could mean that the bill's proponents will run out of time to get it through during this parliamentary session.
Even if it is granted a second reading and proceeds to more detailed scrutiny of its provisions, Labour, Lib Dem and pro-European Conservatives are expected to join forces to try to amend the bill.
If amended, the legislation would need to clear the Commons again by the end of February or it will again face the risk of running out of parliamentary time.
'Blunt instrument'"Start Quote
End QuoteThe overwhelming assumption at Westminster is that the bill will probably not make it out of the Lords alive"
If this bill fails, the government could take the unusual step of re-introducing an identical bill and using the Parliament Act - a piece of legislation which enables the Commons to over-rule the Lords - to force it on to the statute books.
But despite David Cameron's backing for the bill - part of efforts to prove he is serious about holding a referendum - he may opt not to take such a step.
Even if the bill successfully becomes law it does not guarantee a referendum in 2017 since no government can bind its successor.
Among the peers due to speak in the debate are former Conservative chancellors Lord Howe of Aberavon and Lord Lawson of Blaby, former Labour leader and EU commissioner Lord Kinnock, Conservative and former EU commissioner Lord Tugendhat, ex-cabinet secretaries Lord Turnbull and Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, and crossbench peer and historian Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield.
Lord Dobbs, the Conservative peer who is spearheading the bill's passage through the Lords, told Radio 4's Today programme that Europe had become a "pestilence in our political system" and "we need to get rid of this burden".
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"Nobody below the age of 60 has ever had a chance to have a say on this issue," he said.
"We need to decide one way or another whether we are going to stick with Europe or leave."
But Labour peer and former European Commissioner Lord Mandelson said the threat of British exit would "diminish not enhance to get much-needed reforms in Europe".
"A referendum is a very blunt instrument that needs to be handled with great care," he told the same programme.
"Membership of the European Union is absolutely fundamental to British interests."
James Wharton has acknowledged his bill would have a tougher time in the upper house but said: "For an unelected house to deny the British people a say on a bill which has been passed by the elected House of Commons, I think, would put them in a very difficult position."
It is unlikely there will be a vote in the Lords on Friday, but the debate will set the scene for divisions to come.
Both the prime minister's deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband have warned of the uncertainty and damage to business they say would be caused by holding a referendum.
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