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David Cameron arrives in US as Tory EU row rages David Cameron rounds on Tories 'throwing in towel' on EU
(about 3 hours later)
The prime minister has arrived in Washington for talks with US President Barack Obama as a debate rages within his party about the UK's future within the European Union. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has rounded on senior Conservatives wanting to leave the European Union, accusing them of "throwing in the towel" before negotiations have even started.
David Cameron is expected to highlight the benefits to Britain of a trade agreement between Europe and the US. He called the position held by former cabinet ministers Lord Lawson and Michael Portillo "very, very strange".
The visit means he will miss a possible Commons vote on Conservative plans for a referendum on the EU. The PM was speaking in the US where he is expected to discuss EU trade as well as Syria with President Obama.
Two ministers say they would opt for leaving if a referendum was held now. Tory MPs look set to force a Commons vote on an EU referendum on Wednesday.
But both Education Secretary Michael Gove and Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond said Mr Cameron must be given a chance to bring powers back from Brussels before they decide how they would vote in the proposed 2017 referendum. They have tabled an amendment to the motion welcoming the Queen's Speech, in which they express "regret" about the absence of legislation paving the way for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.
It comes after backbench Tory MPs tabled an amendment to the motion welcoming the Queen's Speech in which they express regret about the absence of legislation paving the way for a referendum. There has been a growing number of Conservatives calling for a firming up of the PM's pledge to renegotiate the UK's relations with the EU and to put membership to the public in a referendum by the end of 2017 if the Tories win the next election.
BBC deputy political editor James Landale, in Washington, said the contrast could not be starker. Others have gone further, with former cabinet minister Lord Lawson saying any gains from the renegotiations would be "inconsequential", while ex-defence secretary Michael Portillo has also advocated leaving the EU.
Mr Cameron said: "The point I would make to these people is that you shouldn't give up before a negotiation has started.
"It seems to be an extraordinary way to go about things... the idea of throwing in the towel before the negotiations even started, I think, is a very very strange opinion."
On Sunday Education Secretary Michael Gove and Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond said they would vote to leave the EU if there were a referendum now.
Asked about their comments, Mr Cameron said: "Well there isn't going to be a referendum tomorrow so it's a hypothetical question."
BBC deputy political editor James Landale, in Washington, said the contrast between the row in the UK and the message the PM is taking to the US could not be starker.
"At home, cabinet ministers like Michael Gove and Philip Hammond are talking about leaving the European Union," he said. "But in the United States, David Cameron is talking about how much the EU matters.""At home, cabinet ministers like Michael Gove and Philip Hammond are talking about leaving the European Union," he said. "But in the United States, David Cameron is talking about how much the EU matters."
He said the prime minister would be making the case for a new EU-US trade deal, creating a free trade area which he says could add £10bn a year to the British economy.He said the prime minister would be making the case for a new EU-US trade deal, creating a free trade area which he says could add £10bn a year to the British economy.
Mr Cameron calls it a "once-in-a-generation prize" but the talks could take years and are based on the UK's presumed membership of the EU.Mr Cameron calls it a "once-in-a-generation prize" but the talks could take years and are based on the UK's presumed membership of the EU.
The prime minister has promised to hold an in/out referendum by 2017 - if the Conservatives win the next election - but has said he would campaign to stay within the EU if he was able to secure a new relationship.
Referendum callsReferendum calls
A group of Conservative backbenchers, led by John Baron, has been campaigning for him to firm up this commitment by legislating in the current Parliament for a referendum. The prime minister has said he would campaign to stay within the EU if he was able to secure a new relationship.
The Commons amendment is highly unlikely to be passed, because Labour, the Lib Dems and many Conservatives will vote against it or abstain, but Mr Baron has said it will keep the issue in the spotlight. A group of Conservative backbenchers, led by John Baron, has been campaigning for him to legislate in the current Parliament for a referendum.
The Commons amendment is highly unlikely to be passed, because Labour, the Lib Dems and many Conservatives will vote against it or abstain.
Gavin Barwell, Conservative MP for Croydon Central and parliamentary private secretary to Mr Gove, told the BBC he "completely trusted the PM" but the electorate did not trust politicians in general.Gavin Barwell, Conservative MP for Croydon Central and parliamentary private secretary to Mr Gove, told the BBC he "completely trusted the PM" but the electorate did not trust politicians in general.
"What we need to do is to convince a sceptical electorate that we actually mean it," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."What we need to do is to convince a sceptical electorate that we actually mean it," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"A very effective way of doing that would be to bring forward legislation, so we can go back to our constituents and say, look if you vote Conservative at the next election here is a guarantee that we will get a referendum.""A very effective way of doing that would be to bring forward legislation, so we can go back to our constituents and say, look if you vote Conservative at the next election here is a guarantee that we will get a referendum."
Meanwhile, the Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson is supporting the call for a government bill. Meanwhile, in an article in the Daily Telegraph, Tory Mayor of London Boris Johnson said Mr Cameron must make clear Britain is "ready to walk away" unless its relationship with the EU is reformed.
In a Daily Telegraph article, Mr Johnson said David Cameron must make clear Britain is "ready to walk away" unless its relationship with the EU is reformed.
Party controlParty control
Former Tory foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind accused those pushing the amendment of poor judgement, saying they would "embarrass the prime minister". Former Tory foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind accused those pushing the amendment of being "foolish", saying they would "embarrass the prime minister".
He told BBC Radio 4's Today that if they were going to split the party it should be on a point of principle, not just over differing tactics ahead of the planned referendum. He told Today if they were going to split the party it should be on a point of principle.
The furore within the Tories has been seized on by Labour as a sign Mr Cameron has lost control of his party. Labour said the furore was a sign Mr Cameron has lost control of his party.
Some Conservatives want a referendum to take place now, arguing it would give the government a mandate to negotiate with EU leaders. Labour leader Ed Miliband opposes the decision to announce a referendum four years early, but is not ruling out the possibility of one in the future.
Labour aides have stressed party leader Ed Miliband was opposing the decision to announce a referendum four years early, but is not ruling out the possibility of one in the future.
But a group of Labour MPs and peers, including the former Europe minister Keith Vaz, are to call for their party to support a referendum.But a group of Labour MPs and peers, including the former Europe minister Keith Vaz, are to call for their party to support a referendum.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has criticised his coalition partners for their "endless navel-gazing over Europe", which he said was in danger of distracting the government from its priorities. Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has criticised his larger Conservative coalition partners for their "endless navel-gazing over Europe", which he said was in danger of distracting the government from its priorities.
Businessman and former Labour science minister Lord Sainsbury told BBC Breakfast the current exit debate was "extraordinary". Former Labour science minister Lord Sainsbury told BBC Breakfast the current exit debate was "extraordinary".
"You can normally rely on the Conservatives to be pretty sensible about commercial issues, and issues of power and influence. The commercial case for staying in Europe is overwhelming," he said. "The commercial case for staying in Europe is overwhelming," he said.
"A lot of our inward investment is from companies coming to this country in order to export into Europe. If we are not part of Europe, they are not going to be interested.""A lot of our inward investment is from companies coming to this country in order to export into Europe. If we are not part of Europe, they are not going to be interested."