PM ‘deadly serious’ on EU as letter fires gun on reform talks

Attempting to silence rumours that he personally wants to remain in the EU, David Cameron said he was ‘deadly serious’ about reviewing the country’s relationship with member states.

He said the EU must prove itself to be a more flexible institution for non-Euro members and today he will send a letter to the President of the European Council Donald Tusk to outline the scope of the changes Britain wants introduced.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Confederation of British Industry in Central London, he said: “I’m not satisfied with the status quo we’ve got in Europe and the things that I want to fix, whether it’s making a more competitive Europe, whether it’s making sure we pull out of ever closer union, or whether it’s reducing the pressure we face through immigration.

“Once I’ve achieved them, if I can achieve them, you will see me campaigning vigorously for Britain to stay in a reformed Europe.

“If I can’t achieve them, I will rule nothing out. Europe needs to change and I think it’s very important we make this argument.”

Mr Camreon said he had no time for sentiment with the EU, and was clear he has no emotional attachment to its institutions.

In a further display of his intended firm grip on impending disucssions, he said his gentle approach so far shouldn’t be confused with a lack of resolve.

“I’ve been to every single president and Prime Minister I’ve very patiently set out what needs to change. Patiently setting out a list of very sensible changes shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of resolve.

He said: “If these things can’t be fixed then Britain would naturally ask ‘do we belong in this organisation?’”

He said his negotiation strategy could be boiled down into one word, ‘flexibility’.

“Is this organisation flexible enough to make sure the countries inside the Euro zone can grow and succeed and countries outside the Euro zone, like Britain, can find what they need as well.

“If it is flexible enough we’ll stay, if it’s not flexible enough we have to ask ourselves a very profound question, ‘is this organisation for us?’ I think people in Europe know I’m deadly serious about that and that is what the negotiation we will be launching will be all about.”

Despite Mr Cameron saying he couldn’t rule out that Britain could eventually leave the EU if it couldn’t achieve the right reforms, and that the country was financially capable of going it alone, he did little to sway teen protestors who heckled him, interupting his speech until they were removed by security staff.

Unrolling a white banner with an anti-EU slogan, the two young men were demonstrating on behalf of Vote Leave, the highest profile group vying to be the official voice of “Brexit” at the in or out referendum.

Mr Cameron said: “Come on guys. You should know now, you can ask a question rather than making fools of yourself by standing up and protesting.”

Tomorrow he will release the contents of the much anticipated letter he has sent to the President of the European Council stating the Government’s main renegotiation aims.

However he made clear Norway’s relationship with the EU was not something Britain should attempt to follow due to the amount they pay into the EU and the migrants they take, despite not having any representation at the decision making table.

Hilary Benn MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary and Leeds Central MP, responding to David Cameron’s speech, said Britain is clearly stronger because it is in the EU.