Video: David Cameron has denied he is a "closet Brexiteer" as he insisted the UK was better off in the European Union.
The Prime Minister was speaking as he got a boost in his campaign to keep Britain in the 28-member bloc after leaders at the G7 summit warned Brexit would be a "serious risk" to world growth.
The joint declaration from the leaders of the US, UK, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Canada included a passage saying: "UK exit from the EU would reverse the trend toward greater global trade, investment and the jobs they create and is a further serious risk to growth".
But the Leave campaign dismissed the argument it would threaten trade as "a load of old nonsense".
Brexit backers are also likely to seize on comments by the PM that the UK "can find our way" whatever the outcome of the 23 June vote.
However, he said it was "undoubtedly the case" there would be a significant economic cost to quitting the EU.
Pressed over claims by his former senior adviser Steve Hilton that he is a "closet Brexiteer", Mr Cameron told reporters in Japan: "I am not a closet anything.
"I have pretty much had the same view about Europe ever since I got involved in active politics.
"It's for me all about Britain's national interest.
"I have consistently throughout my political life taken the view that for all its imperfections, let's get stuck in there, change the things we don't like.
"But I actually think, and I said this throughout the renegotiation, the best outcome for us was for Britain to stay in a reformed European Union.
"So no, I have never been a closet Brexiteer."
Tory former cabinet minister and Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith was dismissive of the G7 declaration.
He told Sky News: "All of these scare stories don't amount to very much because they are just a group of people, who will always go for the status quo.
"But in reality if we leave, every one of them will he happy to trade, cooperate and we will continue to be allies and friends of theirs, so in that sense nothing will change.
"The one thing that will change is we will get back control of our government, control of our borders."
Highlighting the "huge threats" posed by "skyrocketing" migration, Mr Duncan Smith said: "On the flipside of that it's just 'don't go because this will be an end to world trade'.
"What a load of old nonsense that is. It will carry on as it always has done."
Mr Cameron admitted figures showing total net migration had hit a near-record 333,000 in 2015was "disappointing".
But he did not believe the way to control immigration "is to wreck our economy".
No comments:
Post a Comment