| Author (Corporate) | United Kingdom: Prime Minister's Office |
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| Series Title | Speeches |
| Series Details | 20.02.16 |
| Publication Date | 20/02/2016 |
| Content Type | News |
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Following intense negotiations which lasted until late on the 19 February 2016, EU leaders at the European Council summit in Brussels, 18-19 February 2016 achieved a deal which strengthened the United Kingdom's special status in the EU. It would be a legally binding and irreversible decision by all 28 leaders. The settlement addressed all of UK Prime Minister David Cameron's concerns without compromising EU fundamental values. On the 20 February 2016 David Cameron chaired a special meeting of the UK Cabinet in which he updated fellow ministers on the special status within the EU he had secured for Britain. The Cabinet agreed that the government’s position would be to recommend to the voters in a referendum to be held on the 23 June 2016 that Britain remained in a reformed European Union. Mr Cameron said: 'The question is will we be safer, stronger and better off working together in a reformed Europe or out on our own. I believe we will be safer in a reformed Europe...'. However, a number of cabinet ministers including Iain Duncan Smith, Chris Grayling and Michael Gove indicated that they would campaign to leave the EU. Influential Conservative MP and Mayor of London Boris Johnson announced on the 21 January 2016 that he would also campaign for the UK to leave the EU. The Labour Party, SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats were in favour of the United Kingdom staying in the EU. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pms-statement-following-cabinet-meeting-on-eu-settlement-20-february-2016 |
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| Countries / Regions | United Kingdom |
