It’s time to speak up for Europe, Miliband tells business chiefs

Speaking without notes yesterday, Mr Miliband gave an impassioned speech, telling business leaders they need to speak up in support of Europe.

“We see our partners in Europe deeply concerned because they think Britain is headed for the departure lounge,” he said.

“I will not let Britain sleepwalk towards the exit of the EU. It would be a betrayal of our national interest.”

Referring to the recent decision to award the EU the Nobel Peace Prize, he said: “In Britain, it seemed absurd, but our parents’ generation would have understood. They understood the noble ideal of peace and prosperity in place of war and terror.”

Mr Miliband, who talked about his parents fleeing persecution by the Nazis, said that while the thought of war had faded, it 
was not this that had led to scepticism.

“The failings of Europe and the EU are real – 25 million people across Europe are unemployed. Look at the EU budget. Forty per cent of the budget is spent on agriculture, but it makes up only one per cent of GDP,” he said.

“Our decision to have free movement of labour increased scepticism. The reasons for scepticism have been real. The failings have been real. No wonder people feel angry and frustrated.”

Following a weekend poll which showed 56 per cent of the UK population want to leave the EU, Mr Miliband argued the case for staying in Europe.

“It starts with a single market of 500 million people – a market for our goods. Think about our aspirations for the British economy. They are easier to achieve within the EU than outside it.”

He added that there were problems in the world that were too big for a nation state to deal with.

“Take climate change. Britain is two per cent of global emissions. Europe is 13 per cent. Negotiating as part of the EU is easier than negotiating as Britain.”

He said there was an urgent need to reform the EU, including the way the EU budget is distributed.

“Not enough of the budget is spent on infrastructure. You have your issues about EU regulation and that needs to be dealt with,” he told delegates.

“So there is an urgent imperative to stay in the EU and reform it.”

He said a British exit from the EU needed to be taken seriously.

“We could survive outside the EU, but I believe we’d be weaker not stronger. Some people who want an exit say we could stay part of the single market, but we wouldn’t get a say in setting rules.”

He said if Britain was outside the EU, world talks would be held by the EU, the US and China.

“They’d be in the negotiating room literally eating our lunch. We need to be clear about the dangers of that.

“It would increase our isolation abroad and people would write Britain off as not a serious player.”

He added that Britain should stay out of the European currency and argued that a referendum would deter European investment in Britain.

“Reforming the EU is hard, but it’s far better than leaving it. I will fight your corner for Britain to remain in the EU.”

He then called upon CBI delegates to spread the word that Britain needs to stay in the EU.

“All of us – we can’t remain silent. If your business benefits from being in Europe, you all need to say it.”

“It’s vital that those of us who have a hard-headed view on staying in the EU to speak up and say our future lies in the EU – albeit a reformed one.”