Cameron rules out EU referendum

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...eferendum.html

David Cameron rules out EU referendum

David Cameron has ruled out an in-or-out referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union, saying the EU is 'changing' to meet critics' demands.

David Cameron appeared weary last night as he left the EU leaders' summit in Brussels at 1am

The Prime Minister insisted he shared the views of eurosceptics in his party but said he was "optimistic" that the UK's relationship with Brussels was changing to meet the concerns of British people. He acknowledged the closer links forged by eurozone countries would have consequences for the UK but said no new powers would be passed from Westminster to Brussels.

Nearly 100 Conservative MPs have written to Mr Cameron urging him to make it a legal commitment to hold a poll on the UK's relationship with the EU during the next parliament. Speaking at a press conference following the latest EU summit in Brussels, Mr Cameron said: "I completely understand people's concerns and I share a lot of the concerns people have." But he said it was "vitally important" that the Government had put in place measures which meant new powers could not be passed to the EU without a referendum.

He also questioned the timing of any referendum on the UK's membership given the evolving situation on the continent. He said: "Europe is changing, there is a change taking place as the countries of the eurozone follow the remorseless logic of having a single currency but having 17 different finance ministries and all the rest of it.

"They need to change and they recognise that.

"That change has consequences for Britain. My job is to make sure we secure all the safeguards that we need so that our role in the European Union, our access to the single market, our say in the single market, is properly safeguarded. "But this is going to be something that is going to evolve over a whole series of years as these countries realise what needs to be done and as we fight for the safeguards and the position we need."

He added: "Europe is changing, Britain is not going to cede more powers to Brussels and I have often argued I think there are powers that should be going in the other direction. "This is going to be an unfolding story but one where I think Britain has every chance of securing the sort of relationship that we want in Europe." He also said a straight referendum on whether to leave the EU would not meet the concerns of many Britons. Mr Cameron said: "I completely understand why some people want an in/out referendum, why they wanted it yesterday, why they want it today. "Some people just want to get out: 'stop the bus I want to get off'. "I completely understand that but I don't share that view, I don't think that's the right thing to do.

As the comments show, now it's time for us to rule out voting Conservative at the next election along with the other two main parties. You see, and you'll notice at every election if you pay enough attention - the main parties constantly preach the idea that we can remain in the EU and 'fight our corner' or regain/halt powers going to Brussels. This notion is entirely false, as the EU makes quite clear - if you're in the EU then it is 'ever closer union' and there's no argument about it because that's the nature of the organisation. To argue otherwise is like arguing the sky ought to be purple, it's just not possible.

But you know, it's not even worthy of a referendum because our constitution (which it is forbidden to overrule) actually declares EU membership illegal,

"..no foreign prince, person, prelate, state, or potentate hath, or ought to have, any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm." - the Bill of Rights

Thoughts?

[ickles]

Politics just don't interest me at all, *Whooosh over my head*

[GommeInc]

Well Labour have promised one when they get voted in so he's pretty much lost a load of his followers and voters by saying no to this.

The EU is trying to change to the demands of critics, that is undeniably true, but change doesn't necessarily mean "make better". It's all action with very little results, it's the ongoing story of the EU - waste money making and promoting change, but never actually fix itself. Change in the EU is like changing the red electrical tape holding back a few leaks in a ship's hull to black tape. It's still broken and never truely fixed.

[dbgtz]

Well Labour have promised one when they get voted in so he's pretty much lost a load of his followers and voters by saying no to this.

The EU is trying to change to the demands of critics, that is undeniably true, but change doesn't necessarily mean "make better". It's all action with very little results, it's the ongoing story of the EU - waste money making and promoting change, but never actually fix itself. Change in the EU is like changing the red electrical tape holding back a few leaks in a ship's hull to black tape. It's still broken and never truely fixed.

I don't see change. A main criticism, a very large one too, is the fact the parliament has little power. This has been proven recently with the threat to ignore parliament on ACTA.

[Ardemax]

Politics just don't interest me at all, *Whooosh over my head*

Thank-you for that very moving and interesting contribution to the thread.

On topic:

I agree with Cameron on the fact that he was suggesting any "knee-jerk" decisions aren't good, and that's true. I don't understand how his party is practically forcing him to old a referendum and he's just brushing it off and keeping everyone "hushed".

[-:Undertaker:-]

Cameron appears to have changed his tune again, more posturing from the man in the Sunday Telegraph -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...nes-drawn.html

The same tactic that the Conservatives have been using for the last thirty years, idle talk of renegotiation when such a thing does not exist.

[Chippiewill]

Cameron appears to have changed his tune again

He's probably under the impression that if he keeps switching his opinion that he'll somehow please both sides.

[-:Undertaker:-]

He's probably under the impression that if he keeps switching his opinion that he'll somehow please both sides.

I think it's the UKIP effect.

We have him on the run, like a rabbit caught in the headlights - he can't hope to form a government without us.