UK will stay in reformed European Union, says David Cameron

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday that Britain wants to stay in the European Union but only if the bloc carries out “difficult” reforms, including limits to migrant benefits.

“I want Britain to stay in a reformed European Union. That is why I am seeking important reforms to address the concerns of the British people about the status quo,” he told a press briefing during a visit to Bucharest.

“As (EU president Donald Tusk) said earlier this week, we are making good progress, but I recognise that some areas are more difficult than others, particularly the reforms I’ve proposed on welfare,” he said.

The British leader in November formally laid out a list of demands to his EU counterparts which include a controversial bid to prevent EU migrants from claiming certain state benefits during their first four years in the country.

Mr Tusk said on Monday that he expects a deal at a summit in February to keep Britain in the bloc, despite a lack of consensus over the key demand on migrant benefits.

On Wednesday he said: “I support the principle of free movement, to work, it’s a basic treaty right and a key part of the single market.”

He added however: “It was never envisaged that free movement would trigger quite such vast numbers of people moving across our continent.”

Some of Britain’s demands for EU reform are acceptable, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said on Thursday, but added there was no agreement yet on Mr Cameron’s push to curb welfare payments to EU migrants.

Mr Szydlo said Poland wanted Britain to remain in the EU and would do everything to support the country.