PM hails ‘extraordinary’ remain-in-EU alliance
THE campaign to remain in Europe is supported by an “extraordinary alliance” of politicians, parties and trade unions, David Cameron has claimed as he took the fight to stay in the EU on the road.
The Prime Minister was joined by former trade union leader Sir Brendan Barber as he unveiled two posters explaining why Britain should remain in the EU.
Mr Cameron conceded the pair disagreed on a lot of issues, but said: “On this issue, this vital issue, we are completely united and say Britain is stronger and better off in a reformed European Union.”
The Prime Minister arrived alongside Sir Brendan, the ex-general secretary of the Trades Union Council (TUC), for a tour of the Caterpillar engine factory in Peterborough and took part in a question-and-answer session with hundreds of workers.
Mr Cameron has also penned a letter in the Guardian with Sir Brendan, in which the pair claim that UK workers would be hit by a “triple threat” to jobs, wages and prices if the country votes to leave.
Sir Brendan’s successor at the TUC, Frances O’Grady, has also intervened in the EU debate, warning that “some of the biggest cheerleaders for Brexit see protections for ordinary British workers – like health and safety law – as just red tape to be binned”.
An energetic Mr Cameron told workers: “It’s not often you find a Conservative Prime Minister and the leader of a trade union movement standing together, but we both think this issue about Britain and Europe is so important that we put aside our own disagreements, put aside partypolitical arguments to say Britain should stay in a united European Union.”
He called the support to remain in EU between the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems and Green Party an “extraordinary alliance and coalition”.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of Europe in moving on from two world wars.
He said: “I will never forget that 70 years ago the countries in Europe who we sit round the table with were fighting and killing each other for the second time in a century. So for all its imperfections we shouldn’t lose that idealism.”