PM ‘ trying to scare us into EU yes vote’
DAVID Cameron was last night forced to deny reports that he plans a scare campaign to try to keep Britain in the EU.
In a leaked diplomatic note he was said to have told at least one European counterpart that his referendum campaign will highlight the “risky” consequences of a British exit.
The note suggested he had set himself the “firm aim” of maintaining the UK’s links with Brussels.
But the Prime Minister later insisted he plans a “positive” campaign to convince voters of the benefits of staying in a reformed EU.
Vision
“My view is a wholly positive one, which is that I am making positive arguments for how Britain’s relationship should change and how Europe should change so I can make a positive argument about Britain staying in a reformed European Union,” he said at the end of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
He admitted that convincing all 27 other EU leaders of the need to accept changes to benefit rules for foreign migrants and other reforms he seeks would require “tenacity and patience”.
But he insisted he had a “very positive vision” of how to change the EU for the better for all member nations. He claimed EU membership was already “beneficial” to Britain but insisted he could make it “more beneficial”.
The note of one of his meetings with an EU leader, recorded by a diplomatic official, said: “He believes that people will ultimately vote for the status quo if the alternatives can be made to appear risky.” It is likely to prompt allegations that ministers are planning to repeat the negative tactics used by the “Better Together” campaign during last year’s Scottish independence referendum.
The leaked note also confirmed that Mr Cameron wanted to hold his promised in- or- out EU referendum well ahead of his deadline of December 2017.
Tory MEP Daniel Hannan said the contents of the note were “extraordinary if true”.
He said it meant “the PM tells the EU he doesn’t need radical change and will rely on voters’ cowardice”.
The note came after Mr Cameron won backing from the summit to continue to the next stage of his renegotiation process, allowing EU officials and civil servants to discuss the fine details of potential rule changes.
But his renegotiation plan was overshadowed by summit talks on the European migrant crisis and efforts to stop Greece crashing out of the euro.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: “David Cameron’s ‘ renegotiation’ is a complete con job.”