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Lord Howard, former Conservative leader, backs EU exit Lord Howard and George Osborne at odds over EU exit
(about 4 hours later)
Former Conservative leader Michael Howard is backing a UK exit from the EU, saying David Cameron's negotiations have "met with failure". Former Conservative leader Michael Howard is backing a UK exit from an "outdated, flawed and failing EU".
He said it was not the PM's fault that "fundamental reform" had not been achieved, blaming EU leaders for trying to "create a country called Europe". He told the BBC the UK should have the "national self confidence" to go its own way, arguing that it could prosper economically by doing so.
Lord Howard is Mr Cameron's former political mentor and predecessor as Conservative leader. He said David Cameron should stay on as PM even if the UK voted to leave in order to negotiate the terms of exit.
The PM says staying in a reformed EU will make the UK "safer and stronger". But Chancellor George Osborne has said if Britain voted to leave the EU it would have a profound economic shock.
His package of reforms, agreed with other EU leaders at a summit last week, includes curbs on migration and a "red card" allowing national parliaments to club together to block unwanted legislation. Mr Osborne said the economy faces more risks of uncertainty than at any point since the financial crisis in 2008, so it would be the 'very worst time' for Britain to take the "enormous economic gamble".
The UK's referendum on its EU membership takes place on 23 June. The UK will hold a referendum on whether to retain its EU membership or to leave on 23 June.
Lord Howard, Mr Cameron's former political mentor and predecessor as Conservative leader, said it was not the PM's fault that "fundamental and far-reaching reform" had not been achieved, blaming EU leaders for imposing a "rigid straightjacket of uniformity" across the continent.
He told Radio 4's Today programme that, as the world's fifth largest country, the UK would prosper outside the European Union, arguing that "the Germans would still want to sell us their BMWs and the French would still want to sell us their wine".
However, he suggested if the UK voted to leave, it could force EU leaders into negotiating a "different" kind of agreement with the UK, which could then be put to voters in a second referendum.
'Mesmerised''Mesmerised'
In a Daily Telegraph article, Lord Howard questioned whether the "emergency brake" agreed to limit EU migrants' entitlement to welfare payments, would "actually work".In a Daily Telegraph article, Lord Howard questioned whether the "emergency brake" agreed to limit EU migrants' entitlement to welfare payments, would "actually work".
And he suggested a vote to leave would persuade EU leaders to offer further concessions - a prospect dismissed by Mr Cameron as "for the birds".And he suggested a vote to leave would persuade EU leaders to offer further concessions - a prospect dismissed by Mr Cameron as "for the birds".
"If the UK voted to leave, there would be a significant chance that they would ask us to think again," Lord Howard said."If the UK voted to leave, there would be a significant chance that they would ask us to think again," Lord Howard said.
"When Ireland and Denmark voted to reject EU proposals, the EU offered them more concessions and, second time round, got the result they wanted.""When Ireland and Denmark voted to reject EU proposals, the EU offered them more concessions and, second time round, got the result they wanted."
He said he had hoped Mr Cameron's negotiations would create an EU which allowed member states "room to breathe" instead of imposing a "rigid straitjacket of uniformity" on different countries.He said he had hoped Mr Cameron's negotiations would create an EU which allowed member states "room to breathe" instead of imposing a "rigid straitjacket of uniformity" on different countries.
"It is not his fault that those efforts met with failure," he said."It is not his fault that those efforts met with failure," he said.
"It is the fault of those leaders of the European Union who are so mesmerised by their outdated ambition to create a country called Europe that they cannot contemplate any loosening of the ties which bind its member states together.""It is the fault of those leaders of the European Union who are so mesmerised by their outdated ambition to create a country called Europe that they cannot contemplate any loosening of the ties which bind its member states together."
Lord Howard of LympneLord Howard of Lympne
BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier said Lord Howard was "well respected in the Tory party" and was "a Eurosceptic who could certainly carry sway".BBC political correspondent Eleanor Garnier said Lord Howard was "well respected in the Tory party" and was "a Eurosceptic who could certainly carry sway".
In 1975, he campaigned for the UK to stay in what was then called the European Economic Community - but said it had "morphed into a European Union that is flawed and failing".In 1975, he campaigned for the UK to stay in what was then called the European Economic Community - but said it had "morphed into a European Union that is flawed and failing".
"There is only one thing that just might shake Europe's leaders out of their complacency: the shock of a vote by the British people to leave," he added."There is only one thing that just might shake Europe's leaders out of their complacency: the shock of a vote by the British people to leave," he added.
'No utopia''No utopia'
He said he had not reached the decision "without much heart searching" and suggested the EU might offer further reforms, which could make him change his mind, including giving countries full control over immigration levels.He said he had not reached the decision "without much heart searching" and suggested the EU might offer further reforms, which could make him change his mind, including giving countries full control over immigration levels.
But speaking on the BBC's Question Time, Environment Secretary Liz Truss said membership of the EU single market would come "hand in hand" with the principle of free movement.But speaking on the BBC's Question Time, Environment Secretary Liz Truss said membership of the EU single market would come "hand in hand" with the principle of free movement.
"There's no utopia where we can simply close the borders and say our economy will remain intact," she added."There's no utopia where we can simply close the borders and say our economy will remain intact," she added.