Today’s FT notes that he has been a long time Eurosceptic. The Remain (in the EU) campaign has been backed by more than 90% of his MPs. Corbyn voted against British membership of the EEC (European Economic Community) in the 1975 UK Referendum over concerns vis a vis losing national sovereignty. The FT states that Corbyn will campaign for EU membership because ‘it brings investment, jobs and protection for British workers and customers’. Cameron hopes that negotiations in Brussels will be successful and that the UK can remain in Europe.
If a deal is struck, he hopes to be able to press ahead to a referendum on the UK’s future within the EU on 23 June 2016.
Britain Stronger in Europe has the support of many Labour figures; including former Eurosceptics Neil Kinnock and Hilary Benn (shadow foreign secretary).
Chuka Umunna, who left the race for Labour leadership (a favourite of Tony Blair’s) because of intense media pressure, said that Cameron’s proposals were ‘meaningful and deserving of our support’.
There are some concerns that Britain could trigger a ‘secessionist movement’ across the EU and that a Brexit could create a possible domino effect, destabilising the rest of Europe.
The FT and the Guardian newspapers have both come out in support of remaining in the EU.
The following article from the BBC news web site, published today, gives a break down of the proposed changes Cameron wishes to make:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887
Sources:
Financial Times, ‘Day of Reckoning for wavering Conservative Eurosceptics’
Kate Allen and George Parker, Friday 19th February 2016
BBC News website