Cameron, EU allies mulling compromise on welfare reforms
Germany and France have reportedly offered Britain a new deal which may meet London’s demands to renegotiate EU migrant welfare rules.
According to a report by the Politico Europe, Francois Hollande and Angelea Merkel have told UK Prime Minister David Cameron that they would back EU migrants being banned from claiming in-work benefits for three years.
However, Cameron has already called for EU migrants being banned from claiming in-work benefits like tax credits for four years.
“British officials are open to compromises and alternatives, and David Cameron got the impression last week that several heads of state and government were ready for compromise as well…There was a coordination between Hollande and Merkel to launch the idea of discussing possible compromises on this issue, ideally compatible with [EU] treaties,” the Politico Europe website reported a French official close to the talks as saying.
The welfare benefit reform proposal is seen as the main sticking point in negotiations over the UK’s membership in the European Union.
Meanwhile, a London-based political commentator says even such a concession cannot convince Eurospectics inside Cameron’s own party to abandon their Brexit campaign.
“The problem is that many people in his party want more concessions from Europe. Not only the question of banning benefits for immigrants for three years, but also they want devolution of certain powers that belong to the European Union now…The problem is that you could ban workers from the European Union from getting benefits for three years but they can still come to this country. Many people in the Conservative Party want to stop this kind of immigration,” Javier Farje told Press TV on Saturday.
The UK is set to hold a referendum on its EU membership by the end of 2017.
Various polls have indicated that the British public is divided on the issue.
A survey by pollster ICM shows that 44% of British voters would choose to remain a member of the EU if the referendum was held now.
Polls suggest that majority of the UK’s biggest businesses back remaining a member of the EU.
EU membership has long been a contentious topic in Britain.
Eurosceptics, who believe the UK would be better off outside the political and economic union, seek the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
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