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EU exit would be 'economic suicide' for UK - Nick Clegg EU exit would be economic suicide, warns Nick Clegg
(35 minutes later)
It would be "economic suicide" for Britain to leave the European Union, Nick Clegg will say in a speech later. It would be "economic suicide" for Britain to leave the European Union, Nick Clegg has warned.
The deputy PM will say a new "coalition in the national interest" is needed to make the case for membership, and has asked businesses and charities to help. The deputy PM said a new "coalition in the national interest" was needed to make the case for membership, and asked businesses and charities to help.
He will attack David Cameron's proposed referendum, calling it a "short-sighted political calculation" which could see the UK "stumble out" of the EU. He attacked David Cameron's proposed referendum, calling it a "short-sighted political calculation" which could see the UK "stumble out" of the EU.
Eurosceptic group Business for Britain accused Mr Clegg of "scaremongering".Eurosceptic group Business for Britain accused Mr Clegg of "scaremongering".
In a speech at the London headquarters of Swiss technology firm Buhler Group, Mr Clegg will say EU withdrawal would leave Britain "isolated and irrelevant in our own backyard" and not "taken seriously" by world superpowers. In a speech at the London headquarters of Swiss technology firm Buhler Group, Mr Clegg said EU withdrawal would leave Britain "isolated and irrelevant in our own backyard" and not "taken seriously" by world superpowers.
'Ludicrous myth-making''Ludicrous myth-making'
He has written to 100 businesses, charities and trade groups urging them to speak out about the benefits the EU brings.He has written to 100 businesses, charities and trade groups urging them to speak out about the benefits the EU brings.
"My great fear, in all of this, is that pro-Europeans are being too slow to wake up to the danger ahead," the Liberal Democrat leader will say. "My great fear, in all of this, is that pro-Europeans are being too slow to wake up to the danger ahead," the Liberal Democrat leader said.
"The day I dread - the day I hope never comes - is a time when it is all too late: Britain has stumbled out of the EU, and we look back to these days and say we should have done more."The day I dread - the day I hope never comes - is a time when it is all too late: Britain has stumbled out of the EU, and we look back to these days and say we should have done more.
"It will not be enough to speak up on the eve of a referendum. We need to start challenging some of the ludicrous myth-making by the isolationists now.""It will not be enough to speak up on the eve of a referendum. We need to start challenging some of the ludicrous myth-making by the isolationists now."
Mr Clegg will say he accepts a referendum is inevitable but believes it should be held after the change to EU rules. Mr Clegg said he accepted a referendum was inevitable but believed it should be held after the change to EU rules.
Mr Cameron has promised a public vote on EU membership in 2017, but Mr Clegg will say that is designed to "plaster over" internal Conservative divisions over Europe until after the 2015 general election. Mr Cameron has promised a public vote on EU membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election.
Mr Clegg will say: "Next May the Euro elections are bound to become a proxy for the bigger questions of 'in versus out' - a debate that will play out in the 2015 general election, too." But Mr Clegg said that was designed to "plaster over" internal Tory divisions over Europe until after the 2015 general election.
Mr Clegg said: "Next May the Euro elections are bound to become a proxy for the bigger questions of 'in versus out' - a debate that will play out in the 2015 general election, too."
'Semi-detached''Semi-detached'
He will argue that "you cannot overstate the damage" that leaving the EU would do and predict that having to negotiate individual trade treaties would take a decade. He argued that "you cannot overstate the damage" that leaving the EU would do and predict that having to negotiate individual trade treaties would take a decade.
"We simply will not be taken seriously by the Americans, the Chinese, the Indians, all the big superpowers, if we're isolated and irrelevant in our own backyard," he will say. "We simply will not be taken seriously by the Americans, the Chinese, the Indians, all the big superpowers, if we're isolated and irrelevant in our own backyard," he said.
On Sunday Conservative backbencher Adam Afriyie said he would try to force the government to hold the referendum in 2014, and Mr Clegg will say it is "not even clear" Mr Cameron will be able to delay the vote until 2017. On Sunday Conservative backbench MP Adam Afriyie said he would try to force the government to hold the referendum in 2014, and Mr Clegg said it was "not even clear" Mr Cameron would be able to delay the vote until 2017.
He will also question whether any reform of Britain's relationship with the EU would "ever be acceptable to the large swathes in the Conservative Party who want to be semi-detached from the EU or out of it altogether". He also questioned whether any reform of Britain's relationship with the EU would "ever be acceptable to the large swathes in the Conservative Party who want to be semi-detached from the EU or out of it altogether".
Demonstrating another divide with his party's coalition partners, he will call the European Convention of Human Rights a "huge success for European co-operation". Demonstrating another divide with his party's coalition partners, he called the European Convention on Human Rights a "huge success for European co-operation".
Home Secretary Theresa May, who has clashed with Strasbourg judges over various cases including the process of deporting extremist preacher Abu Qatada, has indicated the UK could leave the convention.Home Secretary Theresa May, who has clashed with Strasbourg judges over various cases including the process of deporting extremist preacher Abu Qatada, has indicated the UK could leave the convention.
Business for Britain said Mr Clegg's comments risked undermining the prime minister's attempt to negotiate a better deal with Brussels.Business for Britain said Mr Clegg's comments risked undermining the prime minister's attempt to negotiate a better deal with Brussels.