EU budget vote loss jolts Cameron

The government was defeated by 307 votes to 294.

British Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a stinging parliamentary defeat over Europe after the Conservative rebels joined the Labour opposition to demand a cut in the European Union budget.

The defeat Wednesday night came after more than 50 rebels from ruling party joined Labour MPs in supporting a demand for real-terms reductions in spending by the European Union. The government was defeated by 307 votes to 294. Commons sources estimated that 51 Tories voted against the government,with two more acting as tellers.

The vote is not binding,but will put Cameron under intense pressure to take a harder line in talks on the EU budget at a summit in Brussels later this month.

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Cameron had already promised to veto any significant rise in EU spending and 10 Downing Street Wednesday night promised to take note of the vote in the coming budget negotiations.

Peter Bone,a Conservative rebel,said many MPs had defied the government because their constituents will not accept a rise in EU spending. Parliament spoke for the people, Bone said. It was a very significant victory for the people. Ed Balls,the Labour Shadow Chancellor,described the vote as humiliating for Cameron.