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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron says Britons won't accept 'rigid' EU | David Cameron says Britons won't accept 'rigid' EU |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| British voters will not accept a "rigid" EU that cannot handle the Greek crisis and the UK's demands for reform, David Cameron said. | British voters will not accept a "rigid" EU that cannot handle the Greek crisis and the UK's demands for reform, David Cameron said. |
| The PM said the union "would not work" if it could not show "flexibility". | The PM said the union "would not work" if it could not show "flexibility". |
| Mr Cameron was speaking after formally launching his bid to renegotiate the UK's membership ahead of the in/out membership promised by 2017. | Mr Cameron was speaking after formally launching his bid to renegotiate the UK's membership ahead of the in/out membership promised by 2017. |
| He also said Greece would be likely to leave the euro if it rejects its bailout terms in a referendum. | He also said Greece would be likely to leave the euro if it rejects its bailout terms in a referendum. |
| Greek banks have been closed ahead of the 5 July vote, which was called after talks between the government and international creditors failed to find agreement. | Greek banks have been closed ahead of the 5 July vote, which was called after talks between the government and international creditors failed to find agreement. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said Britain's interests would be best served by an agreement between the Greek government and the eurozone. | Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said Britain's interests would be best served by an agreement between the Greek government and the eurozone. |
| "If they vote no, I find it hard to see how that's consistent with staying in the euro because there would be a very significant default and a very significant problem," he said. | "If they vote no, I find it hard to see how that's consistent with staying in the euro because there would be a very significant default and a very significant problem," he said. |
| Mr Cameron said the EU had to be flexible enough to work for countries inside and outside the eurozone. | Mr Cameron said the EU had to be flexible enough to work for countries inside and outside the eurozone. |
| 'Tenacity' | |
| "If it can't show that flexibility it won't work as an organisation and I believe the British people will see that," he said, adding: "This needs to have the flexibility of a network not the rigidity of a bloc." | "If it can't show that flexibility it won't work as an organisation and I believe the British people will see that," he said, adding: "This needs to have the flexibility of a network not the rigidity of a bloc." |
| Asked about raising his demands for reform during a summit dominated by the Greek and Mediterranean crises, the PM said there had been "very long" discussions about those two issues. | Asked about raising his demands for reform during a summit dominated by the Greek and Mediterranean crises, the PM said there had been "very long" discussions about those two issues. |
| "In the middle of that there was a brief discussion about the British situation," which "got a very good reception", he said. | "In the middle of that there was a brief discussion about the British situation," which "got a very good reception", he said. |
| The PM said there were many negotiations to come - "but every journey starts with a single step, as they say". | The PM said there were many negotiations to come - "but every journey starts with a single step, as they say". |
| He later addressed MPs in the Commons, saying a successful negotiation would require "tenacity". | |
| But Labour's acting leader Harriet Harman said his goals were unclear both to other EU leaders and to the British people. | |
| She asked him to confirm there was "no prospect" of changing the EU's treaties before the referendum takes place. | |
| The PM is believed to accept it may not be possible to achieve treaty change before the vote takes place. | |
| Responding to Ms Harman, he said what mattered was "making sure there's agreement with the substance of the changes that we seek - which of course will involve treaty change". | |
| EU referendum in focus | EU referendum in focus |
| David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: | David Cameron is starting renegotiation of the terms of Britain's EU membership ahead of a referendum. Here is some further reading on what it all means: |
| Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum | Q&A: The UK's planned EU referendum |
| UK and the EU: Better off out or in? | UK and the EU: Better off out or in? |
| What Britain wants from Europe | What Britain wants from Europe |
| Timeline: EU referendum debate | Timeline: EU referendum debate |