David Cameron
has accused the leave campaign of telling six lies about the EU, amid
signs of panic in the remain camp about their opposition gaining
momentum.
The prime minister made the comments at a surprise press conference on a London rooftop, where he urged people to register to vote in the last few hours before the deadline.
“A leave campaign resorting to total untruths to con people into
taking a leap in the dark: it’s irresponsible and it’s wrong and it’s
time that the leave campaign was called out on the nonsense that they
are peddling,” Cameron said.
He said it was highly significant that the chair of the US Federal
Reserve, the head of the World Trade Organisation, and the chair of
Hitatchi were all warning against Britain leaving the EU.
“Credible experts warning about risks to our economic security on one
side and a series of assertions that turn out to be completely untrue
on the other,” he said. Referendum explained: polling
Cameron said he called the press conference after watching those
warnings being aired on the Monday night news, but he faced questions
from the press about whether it was actually a reaction to polls showing
a lead in the number of people supporting a British exit.
Asked if it was a sign of panic, the prime minister said “not at all”
but he wanted to make sure he had debunked all the the untruths being
told by leading Brexit campaigners, who include Boris Johnson and
Michael Gove.
Here are the six leave campaign claims that Cameron says are false, and his refutations:
That the UK is liable for future eurozone bailouts. Cameron says his EU renegotiation means Britain is categorically not liable.
That Britain’s EU rebate is at risk. Cameron says the British prime minister has a veto on changes to the rebate.
That Britain has given up its ability to veto EU treaties. The prime minister says there is nothing in the EU renegotiation that relinquishes the UK’s veto.
That Britain cannot stop overall EU spending from going up. Cameron says the EU budget is set in stone until 2020 and can only be changed with the consent of all countries.
That the UK is powerless to stop itself becoming part of an EU army. He says Britain has a “rock solid veto” on EU foreign and defence policy.
That leaving the EU would save Britain £8bn. He says this
claim was debunked on Monday by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which
said a Brexit would mean spending less on pubic services, or taxing
more, or borrowing more.
His speech amounted to an accusation that some members of his own
government, including Gove, Priti Patel and Andrea Leadsom, as well as
Johnson, were telling lies in order to secure the UK’s exit from the EU.
Pressed on why he had not sacked them if he believed they were
deliberately conning the public, Cameron said their actions were simply a
result of them not having as much direct experience of the EU as he had
as prime minister.
Douglas Carswell, Ukip’s only MP, said Cameron’s speech was a sign that the in campaign was “in a blind panic”.
“The prime minister says we need a proper debate about the facts but
he is too chicken to take on anyone from the Vote Leave campaign
head-to-head,” he said.
Cameron is due to take part in a TV event
at 9pm on ITV, answering questions from a live audience for half an
hour, immediately after the Brexit campaigner and Ukip leader, Nigel
Farage, has faced the same questioning.
Farage said on Tuesday that he would be “telling the truth about what
the EU has done to the UK” and arguing for “what’s best for Britain:
controlling our own borders, making our own laws, running
our own
country”.
copy http://www.theguardian.com/politics/
He unveiled a poster in Westminster which showed a picture of Cameron
next to the slogan “I want what’s best for the EU” and a picture of
Farage with the text “I want what’s best for Britain”.
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