This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36263256
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gordon Brown says quitting EU would not be British | Gordon Brown says quitting EU would not be British |
| (35 minutes 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" given his "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 by both sides - 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: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Leader in Europe' | 'Leader in Europe' |
| He echoed Prime Minister David Cameron's comments about the EU's role in preserving peace and stability. | |
| "For 1,000 years nations and tribes of Europe were fighting to the finish and murdering and maiming each other. There is no century except this one where Europe has been at peace and nations... were not vying for supremacy," he said | |
| But for the last 70 years since World War Two, nations now "battle with arguments and ideas" and not "with weapons and armaments". | |
| "It is like we have not just exchanged swords for ploughshares, we have made it possible so that people never think that swords will be used again." | |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "We should recognise that the world has changed since the first referendum and we should be advocates for cooperation in an inter-dependent world." | "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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. |