PLANS to loosen rules restricting government activity in the run-up to the EU referendum were condemned yesterday by MPs, who warned that it would “cast a shadow of doubt” over the poll.

The government has claimed that ministers could be hampered in summits with European counterparts unless the purdah rules are eased in the weeks ahead of the in/out vote on EU membership promised by the end of 2017.

But a Commons select committee which looked at the issue concluded that the plan would make it appear as though the government was “seeking to circumvent proper processes.”

The controversial plan has angered opponents of the EU because they fear it will allow Whitehall to support a campaign to stay in the EU if that is what Prime Minister David Cameron recommends.

Constitutional affairs committee chairman Bernard Jenkin said the government had to “conduct itself properly, fairly and impartially” during the purdah period.

In a letter to Europe Minister David Lidington, Mr Jenkin said the government’s proposal to scrap section 125 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, which covers activity in the 28 days before the poll, was “completely unacceptable.”

He stressed: “While the members of my committee have different views on the EU, we are unanimously of the view that, in respect of any referendum, the government of the United Kingdom must be seen to conduct itself properly, fairly and impartially during the purdah period.

“The disapplication or dilution of section 125 would make it appear that the government is seeking to circumvent proper processes to enable it to use the machinery of government for campaigning activity as well as legitimate government activity in the run-up to the EU referendum.”

He added that section 125 was aimed at preventing ministers using the “machinery of government” to explain the outcome of the renegotiation process with Brussels ahead of the referendum “in order to avoid the government giving a huge advantage to one campaign or another.”

The government has insisted that it will not use the change in the rules to campaign or send out leaflets in support of one side or the other.