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Lord Lawson to lead UK EU exit group Lord Lawson to lead UK EU exit group
(about 3 hours later)
Former Chancellor Lord Lawson is to lead a campaign group to champion the UK's EU exit in the planned referendum.Former Chancellor Lord Lawson is to lead a campaign group to champion the UK's EU exit in the planned referendum.
The Eurosceptic peer said those who believe Britain is better off out of an unreformed EU needed to start building their campaign now.The Eurosceptic peer said those who believe Britain is better off out of an unreformed EU needed to start building their campaign now.
Writing in The Times, he says it seems increasingly likely the government will secure "wafer thin" reforms of the EU.Writing in The Times, he says it seems increasingly likely the government will secure "wafer thin" reforms of the EU.
Lord Lawson says he has accepted the position of president of the Conservatives for Britain group.Lord Lawson says he has accepted the position of president of the Conservatives for Britain group.
In June Prime Minister David Cameron launched his bid to renegotiate the UK's membership of the EU, saying British voters would not accept a "rigid" EU.In June Prime Minister David Cameron launched his bid to renegotiate the UK's membership of the EU, saying British voters would not accept a "rigid" EU.
Among the demands the government has called for are more power for national parliaments over EU decisions, restricting the rights of EU migrants to claim some benefits in the UK and an opt out from the ambition of ever-closer union.Among the demands the government has called for are more power for national parliaments over EU decisions, restricting the rights of EU migrants to claim some benefits in the UK and an opt out from the ambition of ever-closer union.
But Lord Lawson, who as Nigel Lawson was chancellor between 1983 and 1989, said he had accepted the position as president of Conservatives for Britain because he believed it was "far more likely" the government would be unable to secure the reforms it hoped for. But Lord Lawson, who was chancellor between 1983 and 1989, said he had accepted the position as president of Conservatives for Britain because he believed it was "far more likely" the government would be unable to secure the reforms it hoped for.
'Waiting to see' Nigel Lawson: Profile
A self-proclaimed Tory radical and long serving chancellor in the 1980s, Nigel Lawson was a key ally of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
After studying at Oxford University, he embarked on a career in journalism. He joined the Financial Times in 1956 and five years later became City Editor of the new Sunday Telegraph, then editor of The Spectator.
But Nigel Lawson had political ambitions, and after narrowly failing to win election to parliament in 1970 he entered the Commons in 1974 as MP for Blaby in Leicestershire. When Margaret Thatcher won the Conservative leadership in 1975, he became a key architect of Tory economic policy and after the 1979 election was appointed to the Treasury.
It was as chancellor that the then Mr Lawson made his greatest impact with dramatic cuts in income tax rates, a programme of privatisation of several key industries and extensive de-regulation. However, he opposed the poll tax and in 1989 resigned over a split in views with Mrs Thatcher's special adviser, Alan Walters.
Now 83 years old, Lord Lawson sits in the House of Lords. He is the father of food writer and celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and journalist Dominic Lawson.
In his Times piece, he describes suggestions his group is "jumping the gun" by not waiting to see what reforms Mr Cameron achieves as an "over-optimistic calculation of the prime minister's chance of success".In his Times piece, he describes suggestions his group is "jumping the gun" by not waiting to see what reforms Mr Cameron achieves as an "over-optimistic calculation of the prime minister's chance of success".
The peer also says if the argument for the UK's exit of the EU is not made now, then "less moderate, xenophobic voices" will dominate the debate and the campaign will fail.The peer also says if the argument for the UK's exit of the EU is not made now, then "less moderate, xenophobic voices" will dominate the debate and the campaign will fail.
Lord Lawson writes: "A number of my colleagues in the Conservative party are waiting to see what the prime minister negotiates before deciding which way they will vote or whether they will campaign for 'in' or 'out'.Lord Lawson writes: "A number of my colleagues in the Conservative party are waiting to see what the prime minister negotiates before deciding which way they will vote or whether they will campaign for 'in' or 'out'.
'Outdated union'
"We cannot afford to wait that long. If we leave the playing field vacant, less moderate, xenophobic voices will dominate the debate and we will fail as soon as the government, the major political parties, the CBI and trade unions declare they are backing the 'in' campaign"."We cannot afford to wait that long. If we leave the playing field vacant, less moderate, xenophobic voices will dominate the debate and we will fail as soon as the government, the major political parties, the CBI and trade unions declare they are backing the 'in' campaign".
Lord Lawson says in the editorial that the UK had been stuck with an "outdated" EU that was resistant to the changes needed for the globalised world, and whose purpose was "entirely political".Lord Lawson says in the editorial that the UK had been stuck with an "outdated" EU that was resistant to the changes needed for the globalised world, and whose purpose was "entirely political".
He says he "applauds" Mr Cameron's attempts to secure reforms but that the EU was "simply not set up to allow individual countries to try to wind back the ratchet".He says he "applauds" Mr Cameron's attempts to secure reforms but that the EU was "simply not set up to allow individual countries to try to wind back the ratchet".
Lord Lawson says he believed it was time for Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne to set out red lines in the UK's renegotiation of its membership of the EU.Lord Lawson says he believed it was time for Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne to set out red lines in the UK's renegotiation of its membership of the EU.
These include the ability for the UK to negotiate its own trade with fast-growing economies, control of immigration from other EU countries, the end of the "supremacy of EU law over UK law" and the ability to reject the commitment of "ever closer union" with the EU.These include the ability for the UK to negotiate its own trade with fast-growing economies, control of immigration from other EU countries, the end of the "supremacy of EU law over UK law" and the ability to reject the commitment of "ever closer union" with the EU.
He writes: "If we were able to secure those reforms I would be delighted. But if we are not I will certainly vote to leave.He writes: "If we were able to secure those reforms I would be delighted. But if we are not I will certainly vote to leave.
"Sadly, the latter is far more likely...""Sadly, the latter is far more likely..."
Lord Lawson's intervention comes amid ongoing efforts to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU.Lord Lawson's intervention comes amid ongoing efforts to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU.
Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond have all been engaged in diplomatic talks.Mr Cameron, Mr Osborne and Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond have all been engaged in diplomatic talks.
The European Council's Donald Tusk said there was a will to help the UK, but he has previously said that values such as the freedom of movement to live and work within the UK "were not for sale".The European Council's Donald Tusk said there was a will to help the UK, but he has previously said that values such as the freedom of movement to live and work within the UK "were not for sale".
Earlier this month UKIP launched its own campaign for Britain to leave the EU.Earlier this month UKIP launched its own campaign for Britain to leave the EU.
The party's leader, Nigel Farage, said the campaign would "get outside the confines of Westminster" and "reach real people".The party's leader, Nigel Farage, said the campaign would "get outside the confines of Westminster" and "reach real people".