Brussels, 24/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The United Kingdom's national interest is to be within the European Union, stated Prime Minister David Cameron yet again, during a House of Commons debate in London on Monday 24 October on holding a referendum on the country's continued EU membership.
“Our national interest is for us to be in the EU, helping to determine the rules governing the single market - our biggest export market which consumes more than 50% of our exports and which drives so much of investment in the UK” Cameron told MPs. “This is not an abstract, theoretical argument, it matters for millions of jobs and millions of families and businesses in our country”, he added.
It was also “not the right time - at this moment of economic crisis - to launch legislation that includes an in/out referendum”, he went on. “When your neighbour's house is on fire, your first impulse should be to help them to put out the flames - not least to stop the flames reaching your own house”, he suggested.
MPs will vote on Monday evening on a parliamentary motion on holding a referendum on Europe before May 2013. The plebiscite would offer three options: staying in the EU, withdrawal or the renegotiation of looser links, based on “trade and cooperation”. The vote is purely consultative and the motion has no chance of being passed. However, this is the biggest rebellion among MPs since Cameron came to power in May 2010. (LC/transl.rt)