Certain Labour figures are cheekily suggesting Ed Miliband call an in/out referendum. Will he oblige? Well, if he doesn’t he’s a fool.

Consider, the opportunity to outflank the Conservatives on a popular policy they hold as their own, but their leader is too cautious to take, is wide open to the most Left-wing Labour leader since Michael Foot.

As if on cue, David Cameron seemed to promise strong action over the weekend, but pulled back later. It happens every time.

“Stop/go” in the 1970s was a Labour economic policy of deliberate alternate expansion and contraction of aggregate demand to curb inflation and eliminate balance of payments deficits, while maintaining full employment.

It’s popped up again as David Cameron’s attempt to keep the troops happy on Europe, while doing nothing but kick the bombshell down the road.

Stop/go failed before, it’s failing again and it’s making the Prime Minister seem dithery and toxic to his own side.

Perhaps only Ed Miliband can make him see sense by getting there first.

John Evans