The UK PM has this morning talked of his wish to bring forward the referendum on EU membership should he be re-elected in May
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show he said
The referendum must take place before the end of 2017. If I think we could do that earlier I would be delighted. The sooner I can deliver on this commitment of a renegotiation and a referendum … the better
Under increasing pressure from Eurosceptic members of his own party and the rise in popularity of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), Cameron has been promising to renegotiate Britain’s ties with the Eurozone and reduce the power of Brussels
Immigration has become a key discussion point in the UK and will feature heavily in the election build-up, and Cameron has aready set out plans to restrict EU migrants’ access to welfare payments in Britain.
He is expected to discuss his plans, which he knows will require EU treaty changes, during a meeting with Germany’s Merkel in London this Wednesday but Merkel has made clear she will not allow the EU’s rules on freedom of movement for workers to be diluted.
Add into the mix the comments on Dec 13 from EU president Juncker warning the UK not to “beat up” on immigrantsand repeating that free movement of labour should not be “abused” and Cameron knows he has a battle on his hands to win any concessions to offer the UK public
But this is election year when the vote-seeking rhetoric will be flying thick and fast, and this sense of greater urgency for a referendum, from a man who has promised before and failed to deliver, will be seen in many circles as just another blast of hot air.
Cameron – seemingly illustrating his chances of winning concessions from Brussels
