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Gordon Brown says quitting EU would not be British Gordon Brown says quitting EU would not be British
(about 1 hour later)
Gordon Brown has thrown his weight behind the campaign to stay in the EU, claiming it is "not British to retreat to Europe's sidelines".Gordon Brown has thrown his weight behind the campaign to stay in the EU, claiming it is "not British to retreat to Europe's sidelines".
The former prime minister argued that Britain needed to be in the EU to shape the continent's responses to terrorism, immigration and climate change.The former prime minister argued that Britain needed to be in the EU to shape the continent's responses to terrorism, immigration and climate change.
And it was "not in tune with the Churchillian spirit" to "disengage".And it was "not in tune with the Churchillian spirit" to "disengage".
Leave campaigners said Mr Brown's arguments "rang hollow" as he had a "disastrous record" while in office. Leave campaigners said Mr Brown's arguments "rang hollow" given his "disastrous record" while in office.
The British public will decide in a referendum on 23 June whether to remain in the EU or to leave.The British public will decide in a referendum on 23 June whether to remain in the EU or to leave.
With just over six weeks until the vote campaigning has been stepped up - in other EU referendum developments on Wednesday: With just over six weeks until the vote campaigning has been stepped up by both sides - in other EU referendum developments on Wednesday:
Arguments for and against the UK's continued membership have, in recent days, focused on the issues of defence, security, immigration and the economy with senior Conservatives on both sides of the argument making their cases. In a wide-ranging speech at the London School of Economics, Mr Brown invoked Britain's history of standing up for human rights and fighting fascism and anti-Semitism.
Ahead of a speech backing Remain at the London School of Economics, Mr Brown used articles in the Mirror and the Guardian to argue that Britain must be at the heart of European policy making. He said the EU referendum should be an opportunity to make the positive case for Europe and the UK's "outward looking internationalism" and said Labour voters were more likely to respond to positive arguments for staying in.
Mr Brown, who has been credited with stopping Britain joining the euro when he was chancellor in the 1990s, he told the Mirror the British must stop being "reluctant Europeans" and shape the continent's responses to terrorism, immigration and climate change. The Remain campaign, he added, would have to secure the backing of Labour, Lib Dem and SNP voters if they were going to win - and the campaign should stress the benefits to ordinary people of EU membership over pay, working conditions and employment rights.
Britain's relationship with the EU had "always been about the benefits we can achieve in jobs, security and quality of life and how these benefits outweigh any disadvantages". 'Leader in Europe'
"We must surely start from our needs and aspirations as British people rather than from the supposed virtues of the European Union and its institutions," he wrote. He echoed Prime Minister David Cameron's comments about the EU's role in preserving peace and stability, saying nations were no longer "battling with weapons" but "battling with ideas," describing the cooperation between 28 nations with different customs and languages as "the height of civilization".
He said the UK had had a tendency to "downplay" its role in Europe since World War Two choosing instead to "cling to" the special relationship with the US. In the first of a series of planned speeches in the run up to polling day, the former Labour leader said: "If this referendum is about anything it is about what kind of Britain we are and what kind of Britain we aspire to become.
"Let's face it. Across half a century we have become reluctant Europeans. We didn't understand there was a new world in the making where influence mattered. "We should be a leader in Europe, not simply a member. We should not be fully out and we should not be half out. We should be fully in.
"Surely in a world that is getting smaller, being in Europe enables us to play a part in shaping something bigger than ourselves." "We should recognise that the world has changed since the first referendum and we should be advocates for cooperation in an inter-dependent world."
In a question and answer session afterwards, Mr Brown said the EU was moving to a "more flexible" model, adding: "The future lies in a united Europe of states rather than a United States of Europe.
"Too much cooperation and people will feel their identity is at risk, too little cooperation and it will not be possible to solve the economic, social and environmental problems we face."
Ahead of his speech, Mr Brown used articles in the Mirror and the Guardian to argue that Britain must be at the heart of European policy making.
Mr Brown, who has been credited with stopping Britain joining the euro when he was chancellor in the 1990s, told the Mirror the British must stop being "reluctant Europeans" and shape the continent's responses to terrorism, immigration and climate change.
'Churchillian spirit''Churchillian spirit'
He said the UK must be at the forefront at efforts to reform the single market, bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East, curb illegal immigration, step up the fight against terrorism and push for greater co-ordination of energy policy to better exploit natural resources.He said the UK must be at the forefront at efforts to reform the single market, bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East, curb illegal immigration, step up the fight against terrorism and push for greater co-ordination of energy policy to better exploit natural resources.
"I think most people would agree that it's not British or in tune with the Churchillian spirit to simply disengage when Ukraine is in turmoil. It is not British to retreat to Europe's sidelines when there is a common fight against illegal immigration and terrorism."I think most people would agree that it's not British or in tune with the Churchillian spirit to simply disengage when Ukraine is in turmoil. It is not British to retreat to Europe's sidelines when there is a common fight against illegal immigration and terrorism.
"It is certainly not British... to allow ourselves to be on the periphery when important defence and security decisions are made, not only in Nato but in the European Union.""It is certainly not British... to allow ourselves to be on the periphery when important defence and security decisions are made, not only in Nato but in the European Union."
In a separate article for the Guardian, Mr Brown urges the EU to use its clout to take concerted action tax havens.In a separate article for the Guardian, Mr Brown urges the EU to use its clout to take concerted action tax havens.
In response, a Vote Leave spokesman said: "Gordon Brown was in a government that gave away part of our rebate and opened our borders across the EU. Lessons on the patriotic case for the EU will ring hollow from a prime minister with such a disastrous record in Europe."In response, a Vote Leave spokesman said: "Gordon Brown was in a government that gave away part of our rebate and opened our borders across the EU. Lessons on the patriotic case for the EU will ring hollow from a prime minister with such a disastrous record in Europe."
Boris Johnson will kick start a UK-wide bus tour in Cornwall, a part of the country that has historically been eurosceptic.Boris Johnson will kick start a UK-wide bus tour in Cornwall, a part of the country that has historically been eurosceptic.
Mr Johnson and other leading Leave campaigners have been seeking to highlight what they say is the paucity of David Cameron's EU renegotiation, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith arguing the EU is harming the low paid widening inequality.Mr Johnson and other leading Leave campaigners have been seeking to highlight what they say is the paucity of David Cameron's EU renegotiation, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith arguing the EU is harming the low paid widening inequality.