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fazalihaqkhan
Joined: 26 Oct 2015
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| EU Reform: PM Defies 'Mission Impossible' |
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David Cameron will today formally launch his bid to renegotiate Britain's EU membership, denying his critics' claims that it is "mission impossible".
In a speech in London before setting out his demands in a letter to EU chiefs in Brussels , he will claim that with political will and imagination he can succeed.
But his attempts to win reforms ahead of an in-out referendum on Britain's EU membership will come under attack almost immediately in the House of Commons.
After Europe Minister David Lidington makes a statement to MPs, euro-sceptic Tory backbenchers will claim Britain cannot get a better deal in Europe without changes to treaties.
:: Should Britain Stay Or Go?
Anticipating the criticism, the Prime Minister will say in his speech: "There will be those who say - here and elsewhere in the EU - that we are embarked on mission impossible. I say: why?
"I do not deny that seeking changes which require the agreement of 27 other democracies, all with their own concerns, is a big task.
"But an impossible one? I do not believe so for a minute."
Hardline Tory euro-sceptics and campaigners for a so-called "Brexit" from the EU claim some of Mr Cameron's objectives are feeble and meaningless and others stand no chance of success.
But he will say: "When you look at the challenges facing European leaders today, the changes that Britain is seeking do not fall in the box marked 'impossible'.
"They are eminently resolvable, with the requisite political will and political imagination."
As well as setting out his renegotiation goals in a speech, Mr Cameron will write to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, who has asked him to spell out his aims in writing.
Then, between now and a summit of EU leaders in December, Mr Cameron will hold more talks with European leaders, starting at a migration summit in Malta the day after his speech, to try to persuade them to back him.
:: Top 10 EU Myths Debunked
But at the same time, Mr Tusk and his officials in Brussels will also embark on a process of consulting other EU countries on the British renegotiation demands.
In his speech, Mr Cameron will say there are four objectives at the heart of his renegotiation.
:: Protecting the single market for Britain and others outside the eurozone.
:: Writing competitiveness into the DNA of the whole European Union.
:: Exempting Britain from an "ever closer union" and bolstering national parliaments.
:: Tackling abuses of the right to free movement, and enabling Britain to control migration from the EU.
It is the fourth objective which is the most controversial, since other EU leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel, regard it as breaching the principle of free movement of labour across the EU.
But earlier, in a speech to the CBI, Mr Cameron insisted: "On the migrant issue, we have not changed our view at all.
"We believe that what is set out in the manifesto is right for Britain, right for Europe and needs to change."
Leading the criticism of Mr Cameron ahead of his big speech, veteran euro-sceptic Tory MP Sir Bill Cash told Sky News treaty changes were needed to achieve fundamental change.
"I have great difficulty in relation to the list of demands that are being made, because all of them - almost without exception - require treaty change and you cannot get treaty change without agreement of the member states," he said.
"And they have made it clear they don't want treaty change.
"This is about democracy. Those who remember Remembrance Sunday will remember that's what people fought and died for, the democracy and freedom to be able to determine their own laws and govern themselves as a country."
:: The Prime Minister's speech will be live on Sky News at 9am.
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| Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:17 am |
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