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| David Cameron: in-out referendum on EU by 2017 is cast-iron pledge | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has said he would deliver a European Union referendum if he remains prime minister after 2015, as he urged floating voters not to succumb to Ukip's belief that "we're all doomed". | David Cameron has said he would deliver a European Union referendum if he remains prime minister after 2015, as he urged floating voters not to succumb to Ukip's belief that "we're all doomed". |
| "I will not become prime minster unless I can guarantee that we can hold that referendum," Cameron told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday. His comments suggest he would not be prepared to lead a minority government after the 2015 election, as he would not be able to secure a referendum from that position. | "I will not become prime minster unless I can guarantee that we can hold that referendum," Cameron told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday. His comments suggest he would not be prepared to lead a minority government after the 2015 election, as he would not be able to secure a referendum from that position. |
| The prime minister's pledge echoed his "cast-iron guarantee" when in opposition that he would hold a poll on the EU's Lisbon treaty – which never happened because Gordon Brown had already ratified it by the time Cameron came to power. | The prime minister's pledge echoed his "cast-iron guarantee" when in opposition that he would hold a poll on the EU's Lisbon treaty – which never happened because Gordon Brown had already ratified it by the time Cameron came to power. |
| Ukip has held up Cameron's failure to meet his promise as a sign that the Conservative leader cannot be trusted to hold a referendum on the UK's EU membership. | Ukip has held up Cameron's failure to meet his promise as a sign that the Conservative leader cannot be trusted to hold a referendum on the UK's EU membership. |
| But Cameron used an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show to say he was confident of being able to negotiate reforms of the EU and then hold a poll by the end of 2017. If he could not secure concessions from Brussels, Cameron said he would not "sit on the fence" in the subsequent referendum, suggesting he had not ruled out campaigning for the UK to leave. | But Cameron used an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show to say he was confident of being able to negotiate reforms of the EU and then hold a poll by the end of 2017. If he could not secure concessions from Brussels, Cameron said he would not "sit on the fence" in the subsequent referendum, suggesting he had not ruled out campaigning for the UK to leave. |
| Asked if holding a referendum was a cast-iron pledge, he said: "Absolutely. We will hold that referendum by the end of 2017; it will be a referendum on an in-out basis – do we stay in a reformed European Union or do we leave? And I've said very clearly that whatever the outcome of the next general election – and of course I want an overall majority and I'm hoping and believing I can win an overall majority – but people should be in no doubt that I will not become prime minister unless I can guarantee that we can hold that referendum." | Asked if holding a referendum was a cast-iron pledge, he said: "Absolutely. We will hold that referendum by the end of 2017; it will be a referendum on an in-out basis – do we stay in a reformed European Union or do we leave? And I've said very clearly that whatever the outcome of the next general election – and of course I want an overall majority and I'm hoping and believing I can win an overall majority – but people should be in no doubt that I will not become prime minister unless I can guarantee that we can hold that referendum." |
| Ahead of this month's European and local council elections, the prime minister fleshed out some of his aims for EU reform, including tougher restrictions on migrants claiming benefits and exempting Britain from an obligation to be part of "ever closer union", which is written into the treaty of Rome. | Ahead of this month's European and local council elections, the prime minister fleshed out some of his aims for EU reform, including tougher restrictions on migrants claiming benefits and exempting Britain from an obligation to be part of "ever closer union", which is written into the treaty of Rome. |
| However, he also signalled he did not want to scrap rules giving EU citizens the right to live and work in Britain. Instead, he suggested new restrictions could be applied when poorer countries join, so that their citizens could only move to the UK when their per capita income is high enough. | However, he also signalled he did not want to scrap rules giving EU citizens the right to live and work in Britain. Instead, he suggested new restrictions could be applied when poorer countries join, so that their citizens could only move to the UK when their per capita income is high enough. |
| "Free movement within the European Union is important but it needs to be returned to the original concept, which was the freedom to be able to go and work in another country," he said. | "Free movement within the European Union is important but it needs to be returned to the original concept, which was the freedom to be able to go and work in another country," he said. |
| His support for the principle of free movement is likely to be seized on by Ukip as evidence Cameron will not try to rip up EU rules to curb immigration from existing member countries. Some Conservatives are worried about immigration figures due to be published on the day of the European elections that are expected to show higher immigration into the UK from Romania and Bulgaria. | His support for the principle of free movement is likely to be seized on by Ukip as evidence Cameron will not try to rip up EU rules to curb immigration from existing member countries. Some Conservatives are worried about immigration figures due to be published on the day of the European elections that are expected to show higher immigration into the UK from Romania and Bulgaria. |
| In an appeal to his core vote, Cameron addressed an article in the Sunday Telegraph directly at those whose pens are hovering over the Conservative box on their postal vote ballot papers for the European and council elections, which are due to arrive on doormats over the next few days. | In an appeal to his core vote, Cameron addressed an article in the Sunday Telegraph directly at those whose pens are hovering over the Conservative box on their postal vote ballot papers for the European and council elections, which are due to arrive on doormats over the next few days. |
| He also criticised those politicians who "refuse to be upbeat about Britain" in a thinly veiled attack on Ukip. "To them, pessimism equals patriotism," he wrote. | He also criticised those politicians who "refuse to be upbeat about Britain" in a thinly veiled attack on Ukip. "To them, pessimism equals patriotism," he wrote. |
| "They insist that our best days are behind us and that everything is bound to get worse. Like Private Frazer politicians they're perennially crying out that 'we're all doomed'." | "They insist that our best days are behind us and that everything is bound to get worse. Like Private Frazer politicians they're perennially crying out that 'we're all doomed'." |