Prime Minister Cameron reveals thinking on the EU
- Created on Sunday, 07 October 2012 18:24
The British prime minister said he would veto a new European Union budget “if necessary”.
The EU is beginning negotiations on its next budget for 2014 to 2020.
Last year Mr Cameron vetoed an EU-wide treaty to co-ordinate budget policies and impose penalties on rule-breakers.
He pointed out that "people in Europe know I mean what I say".
"I sat round that table - 27 countries, 26 of them signing up to a treaty and I said, 'This is not in Britain's interests, I don't care how much pressure you put on, I'm not signing, we're not having it.'
He said he would block talks if "massive increases" in the budget were proposed or if a deal that "does not have proper control" was put forward.
The prime minister also put forward the notion that the EU should have two different budgets, “one for the single currency, because they are going to have to support each other much more, and perhaps a wider budget for everybody else.”
On the question of British membership of the EU, the PM once again ruled out the idea of holding a simple Yes or No referendum on membership. Instead he said he favoured a referendum on a renegotiated role for the UK within the EU.
"The fact is, I think most people in our country don't actually want to leave the European Union or just accept how it is at the moment. They want to change it."
