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Cameron defends EU plans after Nigel Lawson calls for UK to leave Cameron defends EU plans after Nigel Lawson calls for UK to leave
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron has been forced to defend his plans to renegotiate the terms of Britain's EU membership after the former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson of Blaby said Britain should leave because the prime minister will only secure "piffling changes". David Cameron has been forced to defend his plans to renegotiate the terms of Britain's EU membership after the former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson said Britain should leave because the prime minister will only secure "piffling changes".
As Tory MPs hailed Lawson for creating a "game-changing" moment, the prime minister rejected Lawson's intervention and insisted he would be able to secure real changes in Britain's membership terms. As Conservative MPs hailed Lawson for creating a "game-changing" moment, the prime minister rejected Lawson's intervention and insisted he would be able to secure real changes in Britain's membership terms.
"I want to give people a choice not between the status quo and leaving the European Union," the prime minister said at a conference on Somalia in London. "I want to give people a proper choice between Britain remaining in a reformed EU or leaving that EU. That's the choice that people will have. That is the choice that people want. And there is only one way to get it and that will be by supporting the Conservatives at the next election. Frankly, I welcome the attention that is being put on this very clear promise." "I want to give people a choice not between the status quo and leaving the European Union," the prime minister said at a conference on Somalia in London.
"I want to give people a proper choice between Britain remaining in a reformed EU or leaving that EU. That's the choice that people will have. That is the choice that people want. And there is only one way to get it and that will be by supporting the Conservatives at the next election. Frankly, I welcome the attention that is being put on this very clear promise."
But Bernard Jenkin, the former shadow defence secretary, sided with Lawson as he declared it was "moonshine" for Downing Street to assume Cameron could reform the EU.But Bernard Jenkin, the former shadow defence secretary, sided with Lawson as he declared it was "moonshine" for Downing Street to assume Cameron could reform the EU.
The prime minister spoke out after Lawson became the most senior figure in the party to call for Britain to leave the EU. He said that senior EU officials had warned him the prime minister would achieve negligible results in a renegotiation of Britain's membership terms.The prime minister spoke out after Lawson became the most senior figure in the party to call for Britain to leave the EU. He said that senior EU officials had warned him the prime minister would achieve negligible results in a renegotiation of Britain's membership terms.
Tories responded to Lawson's remarks by saying he had afforded respectability to Ukip. They also said that the former chancellor had given cover to anti-EU Tory MPs who have been nervous about speaking out.Tories responded to Lawson's remarks by saying he had afforded respectability to Ukip. They also said that the former chancellor had given cover to anti-EU Tory MPs who have been nervous about speaking out.
One MP said: "The Lawson intervention is transformational, it is potentially a game changing moment. Ukip can say to us: 'You said we were fruitcakes and now Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving chancellor says we are right.'One MP said: "The Lawson intervention is transformational, it is potentially a game changing moment. Ukip can say to us: 'You said we were fruitcakes and now Margaret Thatcher's longest-serving chancellor says we are right.'
"Conservatives who want to leave the EU, but who have been nervous about saying so, will now feel less worried about saying that.""Conservatives who want to leave the EU, but who have been nervous about saying so, will now feel less worried about saying that."
Lawson, who has felt for some time in private that Britain should leave the EU, said British financial services and banking are being subjected to "extremely damaging" EU regulations. He also warned that the political integration among members of the single currency makes no sense for Britain.Lawson, who has felt for some time in private that Britain should leave the EU, said British financial services and banking are being subjected to "extremely damaging" EU regulations. He also warned that the political integration among members of the single currency makes no sense for Britain.
The former chancellor added that the prime minister, who has pledged to hold a referendum by 2017 after renegotiating Britain's membership terms, would probably only win "piffling changes ... of no consequence whatever". The former chancellor added that the prime minister, who has pledged to hold a referendum by 2017 after renegotiating Britain's membership terms, would probably only win "piffling changes … of no consequence whatever". He told The World at One: "I have a lot of friends within what I call the 'eurocracy' and they all assure me that he will not be given any significant changes at all. It is the nature of the EU that there is only way of travel; which is to more and more pass to the centre."
He told The World at One: "I have a lot of friends within what I call the eurocracy and they all assure me that he will not be given any significant changes at all. It is the nature of the EU that there is only way of travel; which is to more and more pass to the centre." Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, rejected Lawson's call for Britain to withdraw from the EU, saying that leaving it would make Britain "less safe" and would jeopardise up to 3m jobs linked to the single market.
Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, rejected Lawson's call for Britain to withdraw from the EU, saying that leaving the EU would make Britain "less safe" and would jeopardise up to 3m jobs linked to the single market.
But Lawson gave his remarks short shrift. "Of course that is poppycock. But I don't think Nick Clegg, who is a charming young man, has ever purported to know anything at all about economics."But Lawson gave his remarks short shrift. "Of course that is poppycock. But I don't think Nick Clegg, who is a charming young man, has ever purported to know anything at all about economics."
A Liberal Democrat source said of Lawson, who has questioned climate change: "His views on climate change have demonstrated that Nigel Lawson is increasingly out of step with the majority of credible people."A Liberal Democrat source said of Lawson, who has questioned climate change: "His views on climate change have demonstrated that Nigel Lawson is increasingly out of step with the majority of credible people."
Lawson attracted support among Tory MPs within hours of the publication of his article in the Times [paywall]. Bernard Jenkin told Radio 4's The World at One: "The treaties are now so highly developed – since we signed up to the Maastricht treaty 20 years ago we have had the Nice treaty, the Amsterdam treaty and the Lisbon treaty.Lawson attracted support among Tory MPs within hours of the publication of his article in the Times [paywall]. Bernard Jenkin told Radio 4's The World at One: "The treaties are now so highly developed – since we signed up to the Maastricht treaty 20 years ago we have had the Nice treaty, the Amsterdam treaty and the Lisbon treaty.
"The idea that the prime minister is going to be able to reverse much of that is moonshine. So what he is effectively going to be asking MPs to do, when he brings back a new deal, is to sign up to Nice, Amsterdam and Lisbon minus some concessions which we know naught at this stage. I rather do suspect that if we want a new relationship within the EU – and those are the words he used himself repeatedly – it is going to be outside the existing treaties. So I think Nigel Lawson is absolutely right ... I would vote to leave." "The idea that the prime minister is going to be able to reverse much of that is moonshine. So what he is effectively going to be asking MPs to do, when he brings back a new deal, is to sign up to Nice, Amsterdam and Lisbon minus some concessions which we know naught at this stage.
"I rather do suspect that if we want a new relationship within the EU – and those are the words he used himself repeatedly – it is going to be outside the existing treaties. So I think Nigel Lawson is absolutely right ... I would vote to leave."