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| As Cameron Visits Washington, Party Divides Over Europe | As Cameron Visits Washington, Party Divides Over Europe |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LONDON — A potentially toxic clamor for Britain to consider quitting the European Union appeared to be spreading within the dominant Conservative Party on Monday, even as its leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, prepared to meet with President Obama in Washington as an advocate of closer trade ties between the United States and the European bloc. | LONDON — A potentially toxic clamor for Britain to consider quitting the European Union appeared to be spreading within the dominant Conservative Party on Monday, even as its leader, Prime Minister David Cameron, prepared to meet with President Obama in Washington as an advocate of closer trade ties between the United States and the European bloc. |
| The debate in Britain — with two members of Mr. Cameron’s own cabinet saying they would favor withdrawal from the European Union if a vote were held “tomorrow” — seemed to undermine the British leader’s diplomacy in Washington, British analysts said. | The debate in Britain — with two members of Mr. Cameron’s own cabinet saying they would favor withdrawal from the European Union if a vote were held “tomorrow” — seemed to undermine the British leader’s diplomacy in Washington, British analysts said. |
| Writing in The Wall Street Journal in advance of his talks with President Obama, Mr. Cameron said Britain and the United States had “a precious opportunity to transform the global economy — not by less openness and less free trade, but by more. And we must do everything possible to seize it.” | Writing in The Wall Street Journal in advance of his talks with President Obama, Mr. Cameron said Britain and the United States had “a precious opportunity to transform the global economy — not by less openness and less free trade, but by more. And we must do everything possible to seize it.” |
| Britain holds the G-8 presidency this year, and Mr. Cameron will lead the annual gathering of the group that is to be held in Northern Ireland next month. His meeting with Mr. Obama is an important part of his preparations for the gathering. | |
| “Trade is not a zero sum game where one nation’s success is another’s failure,” Mr. Cameron wrote. “Trade makes the cake bigger so everyone can benefit. Take the free trade area between Europe and the U.S. on which we hope to launch negotiations when President Obama is in Northern Ireland for the G8 next month.” | “Trade is not a zero sum game where one nation’s success is another’s failure,” Mr. Cameron wrote. “Trade makes the cake bigger so everyone can benefit. Take the free trade area between Europe and the U.S. on which we hope to launch negotiations when President Obama is in Northern Ireland for the G8 next month.” |
| “This deal could add as much as £10 billion to the British economy and £63 billion to U.S. GDP,” he said. “But the rest of the world would benefit too, with gains that could generate 100 billion euros worldwide.” | “This deal could add as much as £10 billion to the British economy and £63 billion to U.S. GDP,” he said. “But the rest of the world would benefit too, with gains that could generate 100 billion euros worldwide.” |
| British reporters traveling with Mr. Cameron said his enthusiastic advocacy seemed to contrast with the mood among some in his party who have been unsettled by recent gains in local elections by the upstart United Kingdom Independence Party, which is openly hostile to the European Union. | British reporters traveling with Mr. Cameron said his enthusiastic advocacy seemed to contrast with the mood among some in his party who have been unsettled by recent gains in local elections by the upstart United Kingdom Independence Party, which is openly hostile to the European Union. |
| In response to its advances, several Conservative ministers have endorsed calls among lawmakers for Mr. Cameron to go beyond his promise of an “in-out” referendum on membership of the European Union by 2017 — if he wins the next election in 2015 — by enshrining his pledge in law. Conservative rebels have called for a parliamentary vote on the issue on Wednesday. They seem certain to lose such a vote, but it could highlight the depths of Conservative divisions. | In response to its advances, several Conservative ministers have endorsed calls among lawmakers for Mr. Cameron to go beyond his promise of an “in-out” referendum on membership of the European Union by 2017 — if he wins the next election in 2015 — by enshrining his pledge in law. Conservative rebels have called for a parliamentary vote on the issue on Wednesday. They seem certain to lose such a vote, but it could highlight the depths of Conservative divisions. |
| Mr. Cameron has also pledged to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership in the European Union, raising the prospect of further strains between his country and the Union that Washington has signaled it wants Britain to avoid. | Mr. Cameron has also pledged to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership in the European Union, raising the prospect of further strains between his country and the Union that Washington has signaled it wants Britain to avoid. |
| In interviews on Sunday, Education Minister Michael Gove and Defense Minister Philip Hammond both indicated that they would vote to leave the European Union if a referendum were held tomorrow. | In interviews on Sunday, Education Minister Michael Gove and Defense Minister Philip Hammond both indicated that they would vote to leave the European Union if a referendum were held tomorrow. |
| “If the choice is between a European Union written exactly as it is today and not being a part of that then I have to say that I’m on the side of the argument that Michael Gove has put forward,” Mr. Hammond said. “I believe that we have to negotiate a better solution that works better for Britain if we are going to stay in.” | “If the choice is between a European Union written exactly as it is today and not being a part of that then I have to say that I’m on the side of the argument that Michael Gove has put forward,” Mr. Hammond said. “I believe that we have to negotiate a better solution that works better for Britain if we are going to stay in.” |
| In a regular column in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson, London’s Conservative mayor, also contributed to the discussion on Monday, saying he favored parliamentary moves to strengthen Britain’s negotiating position but supported Mr. Cameron’s timetable for a referendum. | In a regular column in The Daily Telegraph, Boris Johnson, London’s Conservative mayor, also contributed to the discussion on Monday, saying he favored parliamentary moves to strengthen Britain’s negotiating position but supported Mr. Cameron’s timetable for a referendum. |
| “This renegotiation can only work if we understand clearly what we want to achieve: a pared-down relationship based on free trade and cooperation,” he said. “If we are going to have any chance of success in the negotiations, we need to show that the U.K. is willing to walk away.” | “This renegotiation can only work if we understand clearly what we want to achieve: a pared-down relationship based on free trade and cooperation,” he said. “If we are going to have any chance of success in the negotiations, we need to show that the U.K. is willing to walk away.” |
| Mr. Cameron sought to play down the dispute. | Mr. Cameron sought to play down the dispute. |
| “There isn’t going to be a referendum tomorrow so it is a hypothetical question,” he told reporters as he left for Washington. | “There isn’t going to be a referendum tomorrow so it is a hypothetical question,” he told reporters as he left for Washington. |
| “What matters is making sure that we do everything we can to reform the E.U., make it more flexible, more open, more competitive and improve Britain’s relations with the E.U., change those relations so that when we have the referendum before the end of 2017 we give the British public a real choice, a proper choice.” | “What matters is making sure that we do everything we can to reform the E.U., make it more flexible, more open, more competitive and improve Britain’s relations with the E.U., change those relations so that when we have the referendum before the end of 2017 we give the British public a real choice, a proper choice.” |