By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Ed Miliband was ridiculed today for spending his teens campaigning for Britain to leave Europe. The Labour leader delivered leaflets in the 1983 general election campaign, in which left-wing leader Michael Foot vowed to withdraw the UK from the European Community. David Cameron joked about it being ‘his idea of fun’ as a Tory MP claimed it was ‘strange’ that Mr Miliband now opposes holding an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Labour leader Ed Miliband was mocked in the Commons for delivering leaflets in the 1983 election campaign as a teenager which called for Britain to leave the European Community. Pressure has mounted on Mr Miliband, with the Unite union warning denying people a chance to vote on Britain's membership of the EU would be an ‘electoral millstone’. Mr Cameron has promised to claw powers back from Brussels before staging an in-out referendum before the end of 2017. But Labour has refused to match the pledge, with senior figures privately admitting that being pro-Europe is one of the party’s few policies which business likes. Mr Miliband has said he would only allow a referendum if more powers are transferred from Westminster to Brussels during the next Parliament – something which even Labour figures admit is highly unlikely. In the Commons today, Tory MP Tony Baldry recalled how as a 13-year-old boy Mr Miliband had campaigned for Mr Foot in the 1983 general election. According to a biography  by Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre, Mr Miliband joined the Labour party as a teenager and accompanied his father Ralph in campaigning for Mr Foot ahead of the 1983 general election. At Prime Minister's Questions today, Mr Baldry said: ‘In the ‘83 general election, a 13-year-old boy delivered leaflets around my constituency pledging that Michael Foot would take Labour out of the European Union. Ed Balls and Ed Miliband in the Commons today . Having to listen to Ed Balls every day would be a 'miserable existence', David Cameron claimed today. In an extraordinary attack on the shadow chancellor, Mr Cameron said spending time with Mr Balls was not his idea of fun. The remarks came as Mr Cameron teased Ed Miliband for spending his teens delivering leaflets for the Labour party. Asked by Mr Balls what the Prime Minister's idea of fun was, Mr Cameron replied: 'It is not hanging out with the shadow chancellor. That is not my idea of fun. 'So I feel sorry for the leader of the Opposition because he has to hang out with him all of the time. 'What a miserable existence it must be to have sitting next to you the person who wrecks the British economy and have to listen to them day after day, day after day, as they say to the British people "We are the people who crashed the car, give us the keys back".' ‘Do you find it strange that that same boy - now leader of the Labour Party - isn't willing either to support the re-negotiation of Britain's terms of membership of the EU or to pledge to support to trust the people of Britain in a referendum on our membership of Europe?’ To raucous laughter, Mr Cameron appeared to come to the defence of the young Miliband. ‘I’ve always thought it is terribly unfair to hold against people things they might have done in their youth,’ the Prime Minister said. ‘Really… if, as a 14-year-old that was his idea of fun then obviously, you know, we have to make room for everybody.' He insisted that it is 'in the interests of the British people' to have a renegotiation before a referendum. Tory MP Bob Neill is to try to force an in-out referendum into law using a backbench bill. Conservative ministers will be forced to support the law, but Labour has refused to support it. But the Unite union, which has given Labour £12million since Mr Miliband became leader, warned the party risks being ‘boxed in’ without addressing the European issue. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey told the union's national conference in Liverpool that staying silent on the EU left the field open for Ukip and others to 'exploit' people's concerns to win votes. He said Unite believed that the advantages of EU membership outweighed the disadvantages, especially in terms of social protections and supporting manufacturing investment. Mr McCluskey said: 'This issue has bedevilled British politics for decades. For much of that time it has been the Tories who have had to deal with divisions in their ranks over Europe. 'But the next general election will be different. Both Ukip and the Tories will be offering a referendum on the issue of Britain's membership. As things stand, Labour won't, because ducking this question is seen as part of Labour's commitment to business. 'That is a vast hostage to fortune. I would not like to be Ed Miliband explaining why he is not joining other parties in offering the British people a vote on something that is clearly a growing source of public concern. 'It is time that Labour's leadership took a new look at the referendum question. We do not seek a referendum to take Britain out of the EU, we seek a referendum rethink in order to help Labour into power. 'Without such a pledge, our party will stand exposed, Ukip will be strengthened in some key constituencies and the Tories will hypocritically charge Labour with being anti-democratic. In a tight election, this can make the difference.' Prime Minister David Cameron it is 'in the interests of the British people' to have a renegotiation before a referendum . Mr McCluskey said denying a referendum would suggest that Labour was part of a 'political elite' that did not trust the electorate. Delegates at the conference approved a statement from Unite's executive urging Labour to 'urgently reconsider' its approach to a referendum, and making it clear that the union would argue for a vote for Britain to stay in the EU. In the 1983 Labour manifesto – dubbed the longest suicide note in history – Mr Foot pledged: ‘British withdrawal from the Community is the right policy for Britain - to be completed well within the lifetime of the parliament. That is our commitment. ‘But we are also committed to bring about withdrawal in an amicable and orderly way, so that we do not prejudice employment or the prospect of increased political and economic co-operation with the whole of Europe.’
Miliband delivered leaflets for Michael Foot in 1983, the Commons is told .
Labour's manifesto said Britain should withdraw from European Community .
David Cameron says people should not be judged by their teenage choices .
But PM insists the British people should have a say on leaving the EU .
Unite union warns Labour risks being 'boxed in' by Tories and UKIP .
Cameron says life listening to Ed Balls must be a 'miserable existence'
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Ed Miliband was ridiculed today for spending his teens campaigning for Britain to leave Europe. The Labour leader delivered leaflets in the 1983 general election campaign, in which left-wing leader Michael Foot vowed to withdraw the UK from the European Community. David Cameron joked about it being ‘his idea of fun’ as a Tory MP claimed it was ‘strange’ that Mr Miliband now opposes holding an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Labour leader Ed Miliband was mocked in the Commons for delivering leaflets in the 1983 election campaign as a teenager which called for Britain to leave the European Community. Pressure has mounted on Mr Miliband, with the Unite union warning denying people a chance to vote on Britain's membership of the EU would be an ‘electoral millstone’. Mr Cameron has promised to claw powers back from Brussels before staging an in-out referendum before the end of 2017. But Labour has refused to match the pledge, with senior figures privately admitting that being pro-Europe is one of the party’s few policies which business likes. Mr Miliband has said he would only allow a referendum if more powers are transferred from Westminster to Brussels during the next Parliament – something which even Labour figures admit is highly unlikely. In the Commons today, Tory MP Tony Baldry recalled how as a 13-year-old boy Mr Miliband had campaigned for Mr Foot in the 1983 general election. According to a biography  by Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre, Mr Miliband joined the Labour party as a teenager and accompanied his father Ralph in campaigning for Mr Foot ahead of the 1983 general election. At Prime Minister's Questions today, Mr Baldry said: ‘In the ‘83 general election, a 13-year-old boy delivered leaflets around my constituency pledging that Michael Foot would take Labour out of the European Union. Ed Balls and Ed Miliband in the Commons today . Having to listen to Ed Balls every day would be a 'miserable existence', David Cameron claimed today. In an extraordinary attack on the shadow chancellor, Mr Cameron said spending time with Mr Balls was not his idea of fun. The remarks came as Mr Cameron teased Ed Miliband for spending his teens delivering leaflets for the Labour party. Asked by Mr Balls what the Prime Minister's idea of fun was, Mr Cameron replied: 'It is not hanging out with the shadow chancellor. That is not my idea of fun. 'So I feel sorry for the leader of the Opposition because he has to hang out with him all of the time. 'What a miserable existence it must be to have sitting next to you the person who wrecks the British economy and have to listen to them day after day, day after day, as they say to the British people "We are the people who crashed the car, give us the keys back".' ‘Do you find it strange that that same boy - now leader of the Labour Party - isn't willing either to support the re-negotiation of Britain's terms of membership of the EU or to pledge to support to trust the people of Britain in a referendum on our membership of Europe?’ To raucous laughter, Mr Cameron appeared to come to the defence of the young Miliband. ‘I’ve always thought it is terribly unfair to hold against people things they might have done in their youth,’ the Prime Minister said. ‘Really… if, as a 14-year-old that was his idea of fun then obviously, you know, we have to make room for everybody.' He insisted that it is 'in the interests of the British people' to have a renegotiation before a referendum. Tory MP Bob Neill is to try to force an in-out referendum into law using a backbench bill. Conservative ministers will be forced to support the law, but Labour has refused to support it. But the Unite union, which has given Labour £12million since Mr Miliband became leader, warned the party risks being ‘boxed in’ without addressing the European issue. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey told the union's national conference in Liverpool that staying silent on the EU left the field open for Ukip and others to 'exploit' people's concerns to win votes. He said Unite believed that the advantages of EU membership outweighed the disadvantages, especially in terms of social protections and supporting manufacturing investment. Mr McCluskey said: 'This issue has bedevilled British politics for decades. For much of that time it has been the Tories who have had to deal with divisions in their ranks over Europe. 'But the next general election will be different. Both Ukip and the Tories will be offering a referendum on the issue of Britain's membership. As things stand, Labour won't, because ducking this question is seen as part of Labour's commitment to business. 'That is a vast hostage to fortune. I would not like to be Ed Miliband explaining why he is not joining other parties in offering the British people a vote on something that is clearly a growing source of public concern. 'It is time that Labour's leadership took a new look at the referendum question. We do not seek a referendum to take Britain out of the EU, we seek a referendum rethink in order to help Labour into power. 'Without such a pledge, our party will stand exposed, Ukip will be strengthened in some key constituencies and the Tories will hypocritically charge Labour with being anti-democratic. In a tight election, this can make the difference.' Prime Minister David Cameron it is 'in the interests of the British people' to have a renegotiation before a referendum . Mr McCluskey said denying a referendum would suggest that Labour was part of a 'political elite' that did not trust the electorate. Delegates at the conference approved a statement from Unite's executive urging Labour to 'urgently reconsider' its approach to a referendum, and making it clear that the union would argue for a vote for Britain to stay in the EU. In the 1983 Labour manifesto – dubbed the longest suicide note in history – Mr Foot pledged: ‘British withdrawal from the Community is the right policy for Britain - to be completed well within the lifetime of the parliament. That is our commitment. ‘But we are also committed to bring about withdrawal in an amicable and orderly way, so that we do not prejudice employment or the prospect of increased political and economic co-operation with the whole of Europe.’
leader Michael Foot vowed to withdraw the UK from the European Community. David Cameron joked about membership of the EU. Labour leader Ed Miliband Miliband had campaigned for Mr Foot in the 1983 of the European Union. Ed Balls and Ed Miliband in the Commons today . Having to listen to Ed Balls every day would be a 'miserable existence', trust the people of Britain in a referendum on people' to have a renegotiation before a support it. But the Unite union, which has given leader, warned the party risks being ‘boxed in’ Cameron it is 'in the interests of the British