Amazing! Cameron now reveals what he doesn’t like about the EU
FORMER prime minister David Cameron has spelled out his grievances with the European Union, saying he did not like “its flag and its parliament”.
He insisted that he did not regret calling last year’s referendum even though being on the losing side cost him his job.
He also voiced no remorse for fighting “passionately” to keep Britain in the EU, despite its many failings.
Mr Cameron had tried to win the public’s backing for staying in by negotiating new membership terms before the vote. These included a deal to exempt Britain from the EU’s aim of “ever closer union” and political integration.
The agreement would also have saved the UK from participating in future euro-bailouts, let it limit some welfare benefits for migrants, and committed the EU to do more to cut red tape.
Mr Cameron, who had warned that the British people’s support for staying in the EU was “wafer thin”, then campaigned for Britain to remain, while insisting the UK would press for further reforms from inside.
He lost the vote and resigned, amid accusations from fellow Remain campaigners that he had always been too negative about the EU instead of making the posiinto tive case for membership that would win voters over.
In a speech in Ukraine on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said: “I think it is worth understanding that Britain always was uncertain, in fact opposed to the idea of the deeper and more integrated political union.
“We looked at the European flag and we thought ‘Well, we don’t really like the European flag, we’ve got our own flag.’
“We looked at the European parliament and we didn’t really like the European parliament. We’ve got our own parliament, which we are very proud of.
“I led the campaign to stay in – and I didn’t like the European flag and the European parliament. We were always uncertain about that political union element.
“I was passionate about my side of the argument. I threw myself the argument. I made every argument I could. I fought as hard as I could.” He said Britain was always a “reluctant” EU member, adding: “We were in for reasons of utility rather than emotion.
“We were there for the trade, we were there for the co-operation and I thought it right to stay because I wanted more trade and more co-operation. But nonetheless the other side won a vote and we need to go ahead with Brexit.”
He also defended the decision to hold a referendum – promised in the Tories’ 2015 general election manifesto – after previous votes on EU matters were pledged but not held. Mr Cameron said: “I thought it right to hold the referendum because this issue had been poisoning British politics for years. The referendum had been promised and not held. I made a promise to hold a referendum. I think it was the right thing to do.”
Mr Cameron’s successor Theresa May will chair the key Cabinet subcommittee overseeing negotiations on Britain’s withdrawal.
She will be joined by Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, both Leave campaigners, and Chancellor Philip Hammond and Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who were on the Remain side.
WHATEVER else history says about David Cameron it will always record that he did the right thing in keeping his promise to hold a referendum. It is a shame that the integrity and sense of honour he showed in sticking to this manifesto pledge evaporated even before the campaign had properly begun.
The first indication of how bad things would get was his risible renegotiation of our relationship with the EU. He claimed it to be a great success when it was obvious to everybody that he had gained nothing of substance and that Brussels was fiercely opposed to reform of any kind.
Perhaps the worst moment was his shameful decision to spend taxpayers’ money on printing millions of pro-Remain propaganda leaflets. He then moved on to Project Fear. These tactics were an insult to the intelligence of voters. His claims that Brexit would lead not only to recession but also to war were lurid and overblown. The pressure he exerted on ministers, business leaders and even foreign politicians such as Barack Obama to back him was a disgraceful way for a prime minister to behave.
It was clear throughout that he would do anything to win. His conduct was ill-befitting the grand statesman he always claimed to be. Now he has given an indication that he was no great fan of the EU. How can he expect us to take him seriously when he fought so hard – and so grubbily – to keep us in it?
Since leaving office Mr Cameron has mostly kept his silence.
Perhaps it is best if he sticks to this policy.