David Cameron: UK will stay if EU more flexible

The European Union needs to be more flexible if it is to persuade the British people to vote to stay in the bloc at a referendum due by the end of 2017, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday.

Mr Cameron wants to reform Britain’s EU ties and is due to set out his demands in more detail on Tuesday.

“You can boil down all of my negotiations to one word: Flexibility. Is this organisation flexible enough to make sure that countries inside the eurozone can grow and succeed, and countries outside the eurozone like Britain can find what they need as well,” Mr Cameron told an audience of business leaders.

“If it’s flexible enough, we’ll stay. If it’s not flexible enough we’ll have to ask ourselves a very profound question: Is this organisation for us ”

“The argument isn’t whether Britain could survive outside of Europe. Of course it could,” Mr Cameron said. “The argument is how we could be best off.”

Mr Cameron’s speech was briefly interrupted by two hecklers who unfurled a banner reading “CBI — Voice of Brussels” in what appeared to be a protest against the employer group’s position on EU membership.

The Times newspaper reported on Monday that Mr Cameron favours holding the referendum on Britain’s EU membership in June 2016 if leaders of other member states agree to the bulk of his reform plans at a December summit.

The prospect of Britain leaving the European Union is a major strategic risk for Ireland, which will back attempts by Mr Cameron to reform the bloc if the terms are realistic, Ireland’s leader said on Monday.

“Ireland regards the prospect of the UK leaving the EU as a major strategic risk,” Prime Minister Enda Kenny told a business conference in London ahead of a meeting with Mr Cameron.

“In general, where the UK seeks reasonable and achievable adjustments, we will be sympathetic and supportive,” Mr Kenny said.