Did Cameron threaten to quit the EU?

[Workingman]

The German magazine Der Spiegel says he did.

It says that Cameron claims the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker would destabilise the UK government and that would force the referendum to be brought forward.

Message for Cameron: If things really are that bad you do not need some referendum result to bolster your position, you could simply pull us out.

That you will not boils down to a few things: 1) You are a political opportunist and a coward, and 2) You actually want the UK to stay in the EU.

[TheOstrich]

He actually did express the latter, apparently.

"I don't want to pull out of the EU, but you know what those pesky English are like, if you don't let me get my own way, I can't be responsible for the consequences ...."

Giving any people a begrudged referendum on any course of action whilst not actively subscribing to it is no recipe for societal cohesion.

I'd rather be led into an EU referendum by someone who is positive about withdrawal (Farage) than someone who is intrinsically negative (Cameron), simply because I do not believe Cameron would fight for the best interests of the country.

[Workingman]

But why did he bring the referendum up?

If the situation is so dangerous as to threaten the stability of the UK government, and its peoples, Cameron has a duty to pull us out, and to do so immediately.

The fact that he isn't suggests that he is going through the motions of making political sound-bites, and that he is doing so to appease his back-benchers and the UKIP protest vote.

He has turned into Blair Mk2.

[cromwell]

I read in the Telegraph the other day that the Government has put in a twelve month long charm offensive into the Germans. Cameron wants allies in Europe to try and help his 'reforms' and he sees the Germans as the best bet.

It sounds like he is asking them for a little concession to improve his own position in domestic politics, and that he hasn't got it.

As for a referendum, my guess is that after a six month campaign of fear and negativity we would vote to stay in.
The only way we will get out of the EU is the same way we got in; without a vote.

[Suff]

He's scared about Newark. They have a 16k majority and whilst the polls say that he still has a huge lead, that may change. Losing Newark will destabilise the government because the Tory back benchers will turn on the Lib Dems. Because if they don't then any seat is fair game.

Cameron is stating the simple truth. Put a rabid euphhile into the commission slot after the EU parliament results and it will break the coalition. If they break the coalition then anything could happen in the following elections.

I shall be writing to Grant Shapps again. I don't think it will do any good, but they need to listen and stop talking. The Lib Dems have clearly stated that not only will they not listen but that they will scream louder to drown out any voice but their own to get their own way.

The next 11 months are going to be a very tumultuous time in British politics.

However there is an interesting window of opportunity. I believe that there are 10% of the Scottish vote which can be bought over the referendum. The right moves will buy them. Nobody will now trust Cameron on his own. So he has to do something to ensure people that he has a watchdog. I wonder how long that will take to sink in? Before or after September?