Up to nine Eurosceptic ministers are to demand that David Cameron grants them the freedom to campaign for Britain to leave the EU if the Conservatives remain in power after the general election. Several Tory members of the Cabinet are thought to back a British exit if significant powers cannot be repatriated from Brussels ahead of an in/out referendum. One Government source said the Prime Minister would risk ‘splitting the party’ unless he suspends the normal convention of collective Cabinet responsibility, to allow ministers to join either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ campaigns. Scroll down for video . Up to nine Eurosceptic ministers are to demand that David Cameron grants them the freedom to campaign for Britain to leave the EU if the Conservatives remain in power after the general election . Some senior ministers also believe the timetable for the referendum – due by the end of 2017 – is ‘unrealistic’ and will condemn the Tories to more than two years of turmoil if they remain in power after the next election. Details of the divisions came as a former senior Eurocrat accused the Prime Minister of diminishing Britain’s influence in the EU and weakening its relationship with America. Jose Manuel Barroso, the former president of the European Commission, said that under Mr Cameron Britain is no longer at the centre of EU decision-making and has lost its position as an important point of contact between the US and Europe. And he warned that Mr Cameron’s ‘aggressive rhetoric’ against Brussels could lead to a British exit from the EU if a referendum is held. If re-elected, Mr Cameron has pledged to seek to negotiate a looser, more trade-based relationship with Brussels and then ask voters to approve or reject it in a referendum by the end of 2017 – with a ‘no’ vote meaning Britain would leave the EU. Downing Street has already indicated that backbench MPs who want to campaign for Britain to leave the EU, whatever deal the Prime Minister secures, will be free to do so. Chancellor George Osborne said: ‘Ultimately it will be a free vote. It’s a referendum.’ Former senior Eurocrat Jose Manuel Barroso accused the Prime Minister of diminishing Britain’s influence in the EU and weakening its relationship with America . However, Mr Cameron has so far dodged the question of whether ministers will also be free to join whichever side of the argument they support. Mr Barroso, who was succeeded by Jean-Claude Juncker last month, said Mr Cameron had a ‘difficult relationship’ with the EU because of the ‘pressure’ from the Eurosceptics in the Conservative Party. ‘I see David Cameron as basically a very pragmatic leader, someone that certainly wants to defend the interests of his country,’ Mr Barroso told BBC Radio 4’s World At One. ‘But while, with Tony Blair, Britain was really playing a very important role in the European Union, they were at the centre of decisions, today this is no longer the case. ‘The American President, if he wants to get European countries on board, I think the first call he makes is the chancellor of Germany, no longer to the British prime minister.’ Mr Barroso said a British exit from the EU would be a ‘real mistake from all points’ and warned Mr Cameron against continuing to attack Brussels in the run-up to his promised referendum if he wanted the UK to remain part of the union. He said: ‘I think many people that are going to make the case when the time comes, and if there is a referendum, I think the majority will be in favour. ‘But it depends now on leadership in Britain. The current situation – putting the blame on Europe – makes it harder.’ Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson allowed his ministers to vote with their consciences on Europe, something David Cameron is unlikely to do . In the 1975 referendum on whether Britain should join the European Community, Prime Minister Harold Wilson decided to suspend collective responsibility because his party was similarly split on the issue. Cabinet ministers were allowed to vote with their consciences and also to campaign against each other. Seven Labour cabinet ministers – Tony Benn, Barbara Castle, Michael Foot, William Ross, Peter Shore, John Silkin and Eric Varley – went on to argue unsuccessfully against Britain’s membership. Some of Mr Cameron’s allies argue it would be embarrassing for him to make a similar move if he is recommending voters stay in the EU, since it would undermine his argument that his concessions have made a significant difference. But the Government source insisted: ‘Wilson did just the same as David Cameron: promised to renegotiate and then hold a referendum. ‘He will be very wise to suspend collective responsibility. It is the only way to avoid resignations and ensure once the referendum result is in, everyone comes back together.’ Several Cabinet ministers, including Philip Hammond, Michael Gove and Oliver Letwin, have already suggested publicly they would be likely to vote for an exit on the current terms. Mr Letwin, the Tory policy chief, said he was ‘not sure’ whether the Prime Minister would succeed in persuading other member states to make concessions on issues such as border control. Another Cabinet minister, Sajid Javid, has insisted Britain should have ‘no fear’ of life outside the EU.
Nine ministers are to demand for the freedom to campaign for an EU exit .
PM risks 'splitting the party' if he does not let ministers join campaigns .
Former Eurocrat says Cameron has weakened Britain's influence in the EU .
Jose Manuel Barroso says PM also weakened UK's relationship with the US .
Up to nine Eurosceptic ministers are to demand that David Cameron grants them the freedom to campaign for Britain to leave the EU if the Conservatives remain in power after the general election. Several Tory members of the Cabinet are thought to back a British exit if significant powers cannot be repatriated from Brussels ahead of an in/out referendum. One Government source said the Prime Minister would risk ‘splitting the party’ unless he suspends the normal convention of collective Cabinet responsibility, to allow ministers to join either the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ campaigns. Scroll down for video . Up to nine Eurosceptic ministers are to demand that David Cameron grants them the freedom to campaign for Britain to leave the EU if the Conservatives remain in power after the general election . Some senior ministers also believe the timetable for the referendum – due by the end of 2017 – is ‘unrealistic’ and will condemn the Tories to more than two years of turmoil if they remain in power after the next election. Details of the divisions came as a former senior Eurocrat accused the Prime Minister of diminishing Britain’s influence in the EU and weakening its relationship with America. Jose Manuel Barroso, the former president of the European Commission, said that under Mr Cameron Britain is no longer at the centre of EU decision-making and has lost its position as an important point of contact between the US and Europe. And he warned that Mr Cameron’s ‘aggressive rhetoric’ against Brussels could lead to a British exit from the EU if a referendum is held. If re-elected, Mr Cameron has pledged to seek to negotiate a looser, more trade-based relationship with Brussels and then ask voters to approve or reject it in a referendum by the end of 2017 – with a ‘no’ vote meaning Britain would leave the EU. Downing Street has already indicated that backbench MPs who want to campaign for Britain to leave the EU, whatever deal the Prime Minister secures, will be free to do so. Chancellor George Osborne said: ‘Ultimately it will be a free vote. It’s a referendum.’ Former senior Eurocrat Jose Manuel Barroso accused the Prime Minister of diminishing Britain’s influence in the EU and weakening its relationship with America . However, Mr Cameron has so far dodged the question of whether ministers will also be free to join whichever side of the argument they support. Mr Barroso, who was succeeded by Jean-Claude Juncker last month, said Mr Cameron had a ‘difficult relationship’ with the EU because of the ‘pressure’ from the Eurosceptics in the Conservative Party. ‘I see David Cameron as basically a very pragmatic leader, someone that certainly wants to defend the interests of his country,’ Mr Barroso told BBC Radio 4’s World At One. ‘But while, with Tony Blair, Britain was really playing a very important role in the European Union, they were at the centre of decisions, today this is no longer the case. ‘The American President, if he wants to get European countries on board, I think the first call he makes is the chancellor of Germany, no longer to the British prime minister.’ Mr Barroso said a British exit from the EU would be a ‘real mistake from all points’ and warned Mr Cameron against continuing to attack Brussels in the run-up to his promised referendum if he wanted the UK to remain part of the union. He said: ‘I think many people that are going to make the case when the time comes, and if there is a referendum, I think the majority will be in favour. ‘But it depends now on leadership in Britain. The current situation – putting the blame on Europe – makes it harder.’ Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson allowed his ministers to vote with their consciences on Europe, something David Cameron is unlikely to do . In the 1975 referendum on whether Britain should join the European Community, Prime Minister Harold Wilson decided to suspend collective responsibility because his party was similarly split on the issue. Cabinet ministers were allowed to vote with their consciences and also to campaign against each other. Seven Labour cabinet ministers – Tony Benn, Barbara Castle, Michael Foot, William Ross, Peter Shore, John Silkin and Eric Varley – went on to argue unsuccessfully against Britain’s membership. Some of Mr Cameron’s allies argue it would be embarrassing for him to make a similar move if he is recommending voters stay in the EU, since it would undermine his argument that his concessions have made a significant difference. But the Government source insisted: ‘Wilson did just the same as David Cameron: promised to renegotiate and then hold a referendum. ‘He will be very wise to suspend collective responsibility. It is the only way to avoid resignations and ensure once the referendum result is in, everyone comes back together.’ Several Cabinet ministers, including Philip Hammond, Michael Gove and Oliver Letwin, have already suggested publicly they would be likely to vote for an exit on the current terms. Mr Letwin, the Tory policy chief, said he was ‘not sure’ whether the Prime Minister would succeed in persuading other member states to make concessions on issues such as border control. Another Cabinet minister, Sajid Javid, has insisted Britain should have ‘no fear’ of life outside the EU.
Eurosceptic ministers are to demand that David Cameron grants them the freedom to campaign for in the EU and weakening its relationship with America. Jose Manuel Barroso, the former Britain’s influence in the EU and weakening its