UK PM accuses rivals in EU vote campaign of lying
‘ Not worried I’m losing EU referendum campaign’
Prime Minister David Cameron accused those campaigning for Britain to leave the European Union of lying, saying on Tuesday he had been struck while watching the news on TV by their incorrect claims.
Britons vote in a referendum on June 23 on whether to remain in the 28- member bloc, a momentous decision for the economy, trade, politics, defence and migration in the UK and beyond. A recent spate of polls has suggested that the “Leave” campaign may be gaining momentum.
Mr Cameron, who is leading the “Remain” campaign, convened an unexpected press conference at short notice during which he tried to move the focus away from immigration, his opponents’ most potent line of attack which dominated the debate last week.
“It is irresponsible. It is wrong. It is time that the Leave campaign was called out on the nonsense that they are peddling,” said Mr Cameron, appearing on a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the London skyline and the Houses of Parliament.
Mr Cameron cited recent warnings on the economic impact of an EU exit made by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, Hitachi’s chief executive and the head of the WTO. “The In campaign is in a blind panic,” said Vote Leave spokesman Douglas Carswell, a lawmaker from the antiEU UK Independence Party. Asked by a reporter whether he It’s so important to say to people: ‘ Don’t take a decision to leave the EU and damage our economy on the basis of clearly false information that you’re being given.’
DAVID CAMERON was worried he was losing, Mr Cameron said: “Not at all. What I’m worried about, what I’m concerned about, is that people are being told things that aren’t correct.”
Mr Cameron had previously held back from criticising the main figures in the official Leave campaign, many of whom are senior members of his Conservative Party, including former London mayor Boris Johnson and justice secretary Michael Gove.
But on Tuesday, he cited several arguments made by Mr Johnson, Mr Gove and others and dismissed them. “It’s so important to say to people: ‘ don’t take a decision to leave the EU and damage our economy on the basis of clearly false information that you’re being given,’” he said.