EU referendum: Tory MP wins private member ballot 16 May 2013 Last updated at 09:28 Eurosceptic Conservative MP James Wharton has topped this year's ballot of private member's bills. The backbencher, one of 116 Tory MPs to back a rebel EU amendment on Wednesday, will now get the chance to introduce his own legislation. The Conservative leadership will be hoping he takes up its draft EU bill to pave the way for a referendum by 2017. The draw to select 20 MPs who can bring in their own bills guarantees decent parliamentary time for the first few. BBC political correspondent Norman Smith said Mr Wharton had told him he did not yet know what he would do. But four of the top ten names drawn were Conservative MPs who voted for the amendment "regretting" the lack of an EU vote bill in the Queen's Speech on Wednesday, so it seems likely at least one will take up the referendum bill. Labour MP Paul Blomfield came second in the ballot, Conservative Jonathan Lord was third and Conservative Sheryll Murray - who successfully got a private member's bill through Parliament last year - came fourth. Tory Dan Byles, Labour's Alan Meale and Labour's Andrew Gwynne came fifth, six and seventh respectively. The top seven are usually allocated a day's debate - giving their bills the best chance of becoming law. On Wednesday 116 Tory MPs backed a motion to "regret" the lack of an EU vote bill in the Queen's Speech. The proposed amendment "expressed regret" that a bill paving the way for a referendum in 2017, as pledged by David Cameron, was not being brought forward this year. The 116 Tory MPs who backed it represent half of all the party's backbenchers. They were given a free vote - meaning they were allowed to vote whichever way they chose - although ministers were instructed to abstain. On Tuesday, the prime minister published a draft bill for an in-out referendum by 2017 and today the chancellor said the Conservative part of the coalition would do everything it could to help any MP who won a parliamentary slot in Thursday's ballot and took up the cause. Such reassurance appears to have made little difference to Wednesday's vote. However, Labour said it was a big blow to Mr Cameron's authority. Including tellers - the MPs who count the votes - 133 MPs supported the amendment. Those from other parties backing the amendment were 11 Labour MPs, four Democratic Unionists, Lib Dem MP John Hemming and Respect's George Galloway. A draft referendum bill published by the Conservatives this week in an effort to reassure their backbenchers could not be introduced by the government as it is not supported by the Lib Dems. But the Conservative leadership hopes that it will be taken on by a backbencher chosen in the ballot, so it can be debated in the non-government time available for private member's bills. Private member's bill ballot Backbench MPs put names into a ballot First seven drawn usually get allocated a day's debate Have to go through same stages as other bills But they are only debated on Fridays Needs 100 MPs support to clear first few hurdles Most, lacking government support, do not become law In 2012-13, 10 private member's bills became law Given that the Conservatives do not have a Commons majority, and the limited parliamentary time available for private member's bills, it would be highly unlikely to enter law but would act as a signal to backbenchers of the prime minister's intent. Private member's bills rarely become law although some have brought about significant changes to the law, such as the Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act 1965 and the Abortion Act 1967. The last two ballots have, by chance, been topped by the Labour MP John McDonnell - but both his proposed bills failed to make it into law. In the 2012-13 parliamentary session, 10 private member's bills made it into law - most of which were quite narrowly focused, such as Neil Carmichael's Antarctic Bill, Simon Kirby's Disabled Persons' Parking Badges Bill and Peter Aldous's Mobile Homes Bill.