UK PM vows to make possible EU exit work upon popular demand
British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to do his utmost to make the UK’s possible exit from the European Union (EU) work if Britons vote to leave the bloc.
Cameron told the state-run BBC on Sunday that quitting the EU was "not the right answer" to Britain's problems, but that he would "do everything to make that work" if the country voted to leave.
The British premier said he was optimistic of securing a deal at an EU summit in February, and that an in/out referendum, promised by the end of 2017, could take place soon after.
However, he said that the vote could be pushed back if he failed to secure satisfactory concessions from the EU.
"I have to have this referendum by the end of 2017," he said. "If I can't get the right deal in February I will wait and I will keep going."
Asked whether officials had plans for a "Brexit," Cameron said, "We would need to do everything necessary to make that work," but did not reveal if any contingencies had been made.
The prime minister also said his proposal of a four-year ban for migrants for top-up benefits for low-paid work was "still on the table," but he could agree to an "equally powerful" plan to tackle so-called benefit tourism.
"We have a welfare system, unlike many in Europe, that you have immediate access to and it is that that creates many of the difficulties," he explained.
Recent polls have shown growing momentum for those wanting to leave the EU, although bookmakers still have a "stay" vote as narrow favorite.
Cameron last week met with leaders from Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands as he swung through Europe as part of his diplomatic efforts to secure a deal.
The EU membership has long been a contentious topic in Britain. Pro-Europeans warn that Britain’s exit would shake the Union to its core. They say the move would not only hurt the British economy but could possibly trigger the break-up of the kingdom by prompting another Scottish independence vote. Opponents of EU membership say Britain would prosper outside the bloc.
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