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제목 : Britain should leave the 'United States of Europe' if Cameron fails to get change, warns Tory policy chief 글쓴이 : eu-center
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Britain should leave the 'United States of Europe' if Cameron fails to get change, warns Tory policy chief


Britain should leave the European Union if David Cameron's attempts at reform fail, a senior Tory Cabinet minister said last night.


Conservative policy chief Oliver Letwin revealed that he would back exit without significant changes to the UK's the relationship with the 'United States of Europe'.


It is the strongest signal yet from a senior Conservative that the Prime Minister's hopes of renegotiation could be rebuffed by other European leaders, making it more likely that the UK quits altogether.


Conservative policy chief Oliver Letwin suggested there was a one in five chance that the Prime Minister's renegotiation strategy will fail, at which point he would recommend leaving the EU in a referendum

Conservative policy chief Oliver Letwin suggested there was a one in five chance that the Prime Minister's renegotiation strategy will fail, at which point he would recommend leaving the EU in a referendum



Mr Cameron has promised to claw back powers from Brussels before holding an in/out vote referendum by 2017, if he is still in power after the 2015 general election.


To date the Prime Minister has carefully avoided stating what he would do if the renegotiation fails, only saying he would be clear about whether to vote to stay or leave.


However, Mr Letwin suggested there was a one in five chance of failure, at which point he would recommend leaving the EU.


Mr Letwin, who attends Cabinet meetings, is reported by the Huffington Post website to have told students that he would not accept the UK being 'absorbed into a United States of Europe'.


Calling for substantial powers over borders and justice to be repatriated, the author of the 2010 Torygeneral election manifesto said: 'If we can achieve that in negotiations then I shall certainly be supporting remaining within it in the referendum in 2017.

'We have to have that referendum. We have to put to the British people that question. We will see whether what we are able to negotiate is acceptable. I think they deserve that choice.


'If we don't get the sort of position that I was describing then I wouldn't want to recommend staying, I would want to recommend leaving. It's better than being absorbed into a United States of Europe.'


David Cameron has promised to claw back powers from Brussels before holding an in/out vote referendum by 2017, if he is still in power after the 2015 general election

David Cameron has promised to claw back powers from Brussels before holding an in/out vote referendum by 2017, if he is still in power after the 2015 general election



Asked about Mr Cameron's chances of success, Mr Letwin replied: 'Certainly not 100 per cent. I can't guarantee it. Better than 50/50. I don't know what the chances are, but I think they are more like 80/20 than 20/80.'


There was a 'very strong chance' that other member states would 'cut us enough slack in negotiations' to produce something to satisfy UK voters, he said.


Mr Cameron has pledged to put freedom of movement at the heart of the talks with EU leaders, something other countries have already rejected.


If we don't get the sort of position that I was describing then I wouldn't want to recommend staying, I would want to recommend leaving
Tory policy chief Oliver Letwin

He pledged to put freedom of movement at the heart of the talks with EU leaders.


Senior Tories have suggested that unless the UK can extract a better deal from Brussels, it would be better to leave than remain in an unreformed institution.


However this week Steffen Kampeter, Germany's deputy finance minister, said it would be a 'catastrophe' if the UK severed ties with Brussels, including bringing 'disadvantages' for the British economy.


He told BBC2's Newsnight that Germany will 'find ways' to keep Britain in the European Union, including curbing migrants claiming benefits.


Asked about whether Mr Cameron would join Mr Letwin in backing an EU exit if his renegotiation failed, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'You have heard the Prime Minister's view on a number of occasions. It has not changed.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2842145/Britain-leave-United-States-Europe-Cameron-fails-change-warns-Tory-policy-chief.html#ixzz3JwiXdS66 
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