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Miliband's EU policy offers 'no referendum, no choice', says Cameron | Miliband's EU policy offers 'no referendum, no choice', says Cameron |
(about 5 hours later) | |
David Cameron has dismissed Ed Miliband's conditional promise of an in-out referendum on British membership of the European Union, saying it is clear Labour is in reality offering no choice and no referendum. | |
Speaking on the plane to Israel the prime minister said: "This is not a policy for an in-out referendum. This is a policy clearly designed by a committee that obviously could not agree what to do, and have come up with a policy that makes no sense whatsoever." | Speaking on the plane to Israel the prime minister said: "This is not a policy for an in-out referendum. This is a policy clearly designed by a committee that obviously could not agree what to do, and have come up with a policy that makes no sense whatsoever." |
Miliband has said he would offer a referendum if there was to be a transfer of powers from the UK to Brussels. | Miliband has said he would offer a referendum if there was to be a transfer of powers from the UK to Brussels. |
Cameron said: "The British people now have a very, very clear choice. At the next election they can elect a Tory government that will renegotiate Britain's position in Europe and give people a guaranteed in-out referendum by the end of 2017. If they get a Labour government they get no referendum, no choice, nothing. | |
"It could not be clearer when you read that article. It was a bit confused overnight in their attempted briefing. It looked like some newspapers swallowed that briefing. | "It could not be clearer when you read that article. It was a bit confused overnight in their attempted briefing. It looked like some newspapers swallowed that briefing. |
"If you read that Financial Times article it is absolutely clear, if you get Miliband, you don't get a referendum, you don't get a choice. It's the classic Labour 'we know best'." | "If you read that Financial Times article it is absolutely clear, if you get Miliband, you don't get a referendum, you don't get a choice. It's the classic Labour 'we know best'." |
Downing Street was delighted with the revised Labour stance, claiming Miliband had provided them a very big stick with which to beat him between now and polling day. | |
One source said: "It feels like they thought they had for them made a big move, but in reality out there with the public this will mean nothing." | One source said: "It feels like they thought they had for them made a big move, but in reality out there with the public this will mean nothing." |
They pointed repeatedly to Miliband's own assessment that it was unlikely there would be any proposed transfer of power to Brussels in the next parliament that would trigger a referendum. | They pointed repeatedly to Miliband's own assessment that it was unlikely there would be any proposed transfer of power to Brussels in the next parliament that would trigger a referendum. |
"That means no choice between 2015 and 2020," the source said. | "That means no choice between 2015 and 2020," the source said. |
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