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| David Cameron 'confident' of UK getting EU changes | David Cameron 'confident' of UK getting EU changes |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has said he is confident of getting the changes he wants in the UK's relationship with Europe. | David Cameron has said he is confident of getting the changes he wants in the UK's relationship with Europe. |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today he wants a "fresh settlement" with Europe and would then seek "consent" from Britons. | |
| Although he declined to say this would be done via a referendum, he said it would done in a " straightforward way". | |
| Mr Cameron is expected to announce his plans - including a future referendum - in detail in a long-awaited speech on the UK and Europe next week. | |
| He has faced pressure to hold a referendum on Europe and has been criticised by some in his own party for not doing more to distance the UK from the EU. | |
| But others, such as pro-European Tory peer Lord Heseltine, have warned a referendum would jeopardise the UK's business prospects. | |
| Mr Cameron said he wanted the UK to remain within the EU but said there was a need to redefine the relationship in light of moves towards further integration by countries using the single currency. | |
| "Europe is changing and the opportunity for us to lead those changes and make changes that will make our relationship with Europe more comfortable I think are absolutely there. | |
| "I am confident we can do that - a fresh settlement and then fresh consent for that settlement," he said. | |
| He dismissed critics who said the uncertainty caused by a future referendum that could lead to the UK's exit from the EU, put at risk Britain's relationship with Europe and could cause problems for British business. | |
| "This debate is happening anyway," he said of changes to the EU prompted by the recent euro area crisis. | |
| "You have a choice as politicians - do you get out there, lead that debate and make the changes that will be right for Britain - and I would argue right for Europe - and then give people a choice about that or do you stick you head in the sand and hope the debate will go away?" | |
| However, he insisted it was not in Britain's interests to leave the European Union because as a trading nation being part of the single market was important. |