Some of the UK's demands for changes to its membership of the European Union will require treaty change, British foreign secretary Philip Hammond has made clear as Westminster begins to prepare the ground for negotiations.
Hopes that London would diplomatically present its list were dashed in some EU capitals when Mr Hammond warned that the UK will vote to quit the union unless it receives major concessions.
“We expect our European Union partners to engage with us in delivering a package that will enable the British people to decide that they think Britain’s future is best delivered inside the European Union,” he said.
“If our partners do not agree with us, do not work with us to deliver that package, then we rule nothing out.”
Mr Hammond said he was confident major progress will be made “through the winter”.
Leader meetings
The foreign secretary’s intervention came as prime minister
David Cameron
met Dutch premier
Mark Rutte
in Amsterdam and French president François Hollande in Paris, followed today by visits to Berlin and Warsaw.
Despite hopes elsewhere that the UK’s needs can be met without changes to the EU’s basic treaties, Mr Hammond said his legal advice was that changes will be needed to curb welfare benefits for EU migrants.
The newly elected Conservative government published the legislation required to hold a referendum yesterday, which lays down the question that will be asked of voters before the end of December 2017: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the EU?"
The Conservatives had hoped that the question would read, “Do you think that the UK should be a member of the EU?”. That was dropped after the electoral commission recommended against, saying some voters might believe the UK is not already a member.
The British declaration that treaty change is required makes Mr Cameron’s job significantly harder, but also dents optimism among some that the referendum could be held next summer.
Early suspicions
Some of those in the Conservative Eurosceptic camp, such as former defence secretary Dr
Liam Fox
, are suspicious of an early referendum.
“Some people want to have a quick referendum and I have already heard others saying we must be willing to say yes to a reformed EU without knowing what that will look like,” Dr Fox said.
“We must resist any attempt to bounce the British people into an early referendum,” he added. “We can wait until we are ready. We must give our people a full explanation of the choices, and the inevitable pluses and minuses on both sides of the ledger.
“The temptation is always to go for the renegotiation that can be achieved, for the sake of political expediency, rather than a more difficult one that might be less successful,” Dr Fox told the House of Commons yesterday.
Meanwhile UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage complained that the referendum's wording gives Mr Cameron an advantage, since he will be asking voters to vote Yes to staying in.
The prime minister, Mr Farage said, “has already decided which way he wants the answer to be given, without a single power repatriated”.
