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| David Cameron sets out EU reform goals | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has outlined his goals for reforming the UK's membership of the EU, saying they will be difficult, but not impossible, to achieve. | David Cameron has outlined his goals for reforming the UK's membership of the EU, saying they will be difficult, but not impossible, to achieve. |
| He said Britain faced the biggest decision of "our lifetimes" in an in/out referendum promised before the end of 2017. | |
| But he was confident of getting the reforms he wanted, describing talks with EU partners "mission possible". | |
| EU leave campaigners have described the talks as a "gimmick". | |
| Mr Cameron will formally set his demands out in a letter to the president of the European Council to be published later. | |
| But in a speech ahead of the letter's publication, he said four objectives lie at the heart of the UK's renegotiations: | |
| Mr Cameron hit back at claims by former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson that the four goals were "disappointingly unambitious", saying they reflected what the British people wanted and would be "good for Britain and good for the European Union". | Mr Cameron hit back at claims by former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson that the four goals were "disappointingly unambitious", saying they reflected what the British people wanted and would be "good for Britain and good for the European Union". |
| "It is mission possible and it is going to take a lot of hard work to get there," said the prime minister. | "It is mission possible and it is going to take a lot of hard work to get there," said the prime minister. |
| 'Final decision' | 'Final decision' |
| The toughest task he is likely to face is persuading other EU leaders to accept restrictions on in-work benefits for new arrivals to the UK, which Mr Cameron said was vital to cut "very high" and "unsustainable" levels of immigration. | The toughest task he is likely to face is persuading other EU leaders to accept restrictions on in-work benefits for new arrivals to the UK, which Mr Cameron said was vital to cut "very high" and "unsustainable" levels of immigration. |
| He said: "I understand how difficult some of these welfare issues are for some member states, and I'm open to different ways of dealing with this issue. | He said: "I understand how difficult some of these welfare issues are for some member states, and I'm open to different ways of dealing with this issue. |
| "But we do need to secure arrangements that deliver on objectives set out in the Conservative manifesto to control migration from the European Union." | "But we do need to secure arrangements that deliver on objectives set out in the Conservative manifesto to control migration from the European Union." |
| Mr Cameron claimed 40% of recent European Economic Area migrants received an average of around £6,000 a year of in-work benefits. | |
| He has said he wants the UK to stay in a reformed EU, but he has not ruled out leaving if he cannot secure the change he wants with the leaders of the 27 EU countries. | |
| He ruled out a second referendum if Britain voted to leave, saying: "You the British people will decide. At that moment you will hold this country's destiny in your hands. This is a huge decision for our country - perhaps the biggest we will make in our lifetimes. And it will be a final decision." | He ruled out a second referendum if Britain voted to leave, saying: "You the British people will decide. At that moment you will hold this country's destiny in your hands. This is a huge decision for our country - perhaps the biggest we will make in our lifetimes. And it will be a final decision." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By BBC political correspondent Ben Wright | By BBC political correspondent Ben Wright |
| Today is a significant step towards the EU referendum, which must take place by the end of 2017. | Today is a significant step towards the EU referendum, which must take place by the end of 2017. |
| The letter to the European Council is unlikely to be an itemised shopping list of demands. Instead it's likely to set out the four - now familiar - objectives the government is pushing for. | The letter to the European Council is unlikely to be an itemised shopping list of demands. Instead it's likely to set out the four - now familiar - objectives the government is pushing for. |
| The most politically-charged - and potentially hardest to achieve - is restricting in-work benefits to EU migrants for a number of years. | The most politically-charged - and potentially hardest to achieve - is restricting in-work benefits to EU migrants for a number of years. |
| That was a Conservative Party manifesto pledge - and David Cameron is expected to repeat that commitment. | That was a Conservative Party manifesto pledge - and David Cameron is expected to repeat that commitment. |
| The Vote Leave campaign said it expected David Cameron to get what he's asking for because it's a "trivial" list of demands. | The Vote Leave campaign said it expected David Cameron to get what he's asking for because it's a "trivial" list of demands. |
| But as he lights the fuse for the next stage of intense, potentially difficult, negotiations to come, Mr Cameron will say the mission is big - but not impossible. | But as he lights the fuse for the next stage of intense, potentially difficult, negotiations to come, Mr Cameron will say the mission is big - but not impossible. |
| The prime minister insists he wants Britain to stay in a reformed EU. Getting a deal that matches the billing will be crucial for his case. | The prime minister insists he wants Britain to stay in a reformed EU. Getting a deal that matches the billing will be crucial for his case. |
| In his speech, Mr Cameron said: "When you look at the challenges facing European leaders today, the changes that Britain is seeking do not fall in the box marked 'impossible'. | In his speech, Mr Cameron said: "When you look at the challenges facing European leaders today, the changes that Britain is seeking do not fall in the box marked 'impossible'. |
| "They are eminently resolvable, with the requisite political will and political imagination." | "They are eminently resolvable, with the requisite political will and political imagination." |
| Alongside publication of the PM's letter, Chancellor George Osborne will meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels as part of the renewed diplomatic push for EU reform. | Alongside publication of the PM's letter, Chancellor George Osborne will meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels as part of the renewed diplomatic push for EU reform. |
| The Vote Leave campaign said Mr Cameron's negotiating demands were likely to be "trivial" and that the only way for the UK to regain control of its borders and democracy was by leaving the EU. | The Vote Leave campaign said Mr Cameron's negotiating demands were likely to be "trivial" and that the only way for the UK to regain control of its borders and democracy was by leaving the EU. |
| Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell, meanwhile, has dismissed the PM's position on the EU as "a lot of bluff and bluster" and more about "appeasing" some of his Eurosceptic backbenchers. | Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell, meanwhile, has dismissed the PM's position on the EU as "a lot of bluff and bluster" and more about "appeasing" some of his Eurosceptic backbenchers. |
| He told the BBC that Labour's position was that Britain should stay in the EU and "negotiate our reform agenda as members of the club". | He told the BBC that Labour's position was that Britain should stay in the EU and "negotiate our reform agenda as members of the club". |
| UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said it was clear Mr Cameron "is not aiming for any substantial renegotiation", with "no promise to regain the supremacy of Parliament, nothing on ending the free movement of people and no attempt to reduce Britain's massive contribution to the EU budget". | UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said it was clear Mr Cameron "is not aiming for any substantial renegotiation", with "no promise to regain the supremacy of Parliament, nothing on ending the free movement of people and no attempt to reduce Britain's massive contribution to the EU budget". |
| But Will Straw, director of Britain Stronger in Europe, said: "Today the prime minister has set out a series of sensible and sound reforms to improve Britain's relationship with Europe. It is now clear that Leave campaigners are losing the argument." | |
| Mr Cameron's speech comes after he told the CBI conference on Monday he had no "emotional attachment" that would stop him backing a UK exit if his EU renegotiation failed. | Mr Cameron's speech comes after he told the CBI conference on Monday he had no "emotional attachment" that would stop him backing a UK exit if his EU renegotiation failed. |
| Read more on this story | Read more on this story |
| What Britain wants from Europe | What Britain wants from Europe |
| EU vote: When, what and why? | EU vote: When, what and why? |
| Who are the exit groups? | Who are the exit groups? |
| Guide to the 'In' campaign | Guide to the 'In' campaign |
| Referendum timings | Referendum timings |
| David Cameron is understood to want an early vote, but has already been forced to rule out holding the poll on 5 May 2016, the same day as national elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. | David Cameron is understood to want an early vote, but has already been forced to rule out holding the poll on 5 May 2016, the same day as national elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| The referendum must be held by the end of 2017. There has been speculation the referendum could be held as soon as June next year - but Downing Street has dismissed this as "not true". | The referendum must be held by the end of 2017. There has been speculation the referendum could be held as soon as June next year - but Downing Street has dismissed this as "not true". |
| Mr Cameron said " I want to get on with it" but he would not announced the date of a referendum until negotiations have been completed. | Mr Cameron said " I want to get on with it" but he would not announced the date of a referendum until negotiations have been completed. |
| "The first you will here about the timing is after I have secured the the changes I need," he said. | "The first you will here about the timing is after I have secured the the changes I need," he said. |
| The government has said there is likely to be "a few months" between the date of the referendum being announced and the poll taking place. | The government has said there is likely to be "a few months" between the date of the referendum being announced and the poll taking place. |