EU referendum - New date is best chance of success

There has been no satisfactory response from Government about suggestions that the referendum on the EU fiscal pact be deferred.

Like World War I generals ordering battle-weary troops to fix bayonets and charge enemy machine guns one more time, they seem unwilling to recognise that circumstances have changed dramatically. They have, and they seem set to change even more so as François Hollande is all but certain to be president of France within weeks.

Yesterday’s announcement from Transport Minister Leo Varadkar that a revised memorandum of understanding between the Government and the troika would incorporate some measures to stimulate the economy and create jobs — especially in a very welcome school building — do not really close off the argument.