Pressure mounts on Cameron over Europe

Published on 19/11/2012 01:29

Pro-Europeans must stop turning a blind eye to EU failings and make the case for reform or the country will “sleepwalk” into an economy-wrecking exit, Ed Miliband will tell business leaders.

As senior Conservative MP David Davis called for a double referendum on the EU, the Labour leader will tell the CBI conference that pressure on David Cameron from eurosceptic Tories had forced the Prime Minister into “negotiations that will not deliver” for the repatriation of swathes of powers.

Instead, Mr Cameron should concentrate on building alliances to agree reforms and ensure Britain did not lose out when eurozone countries deepened their ties in a new two-tier Europe, he will suggest.

Weekend opinion polls showed a clear majority for cutting ties with Brussels, as pressure mounted on Mr Cameron to set out plans for a referendum on the issue.

He faces a tricky summit on Thursday, when leaders gather to thrash out the EU’s future budget.

Mr Davis yesterday called for a vote to approve a list of powers for the UK to seek to seize back and then an in/out poll once they had been negotiated. Mr Davis, a former Europe minister, said the first vote should be held within a year.