Safeguarding British interests

Prime Minister David Cameron has today spoken of his decision to veto a new European treaty following a round of discussions with European leaders in Brussels.

Speaking at a press conference after the talks, David Cameron said:

"I said before coming to Brussels that if I couldn't get adequate safeguards for Britain in a new European treaty, then I wouldn't agree to it. What is on offer isn't in Britain's interests, so I didn't agree to it.

"Let me explain why this matters.  Of course, we want the Eurozone countries to come together and to solve their problems. But we should only allow that to happen inside the European Union treaties if there are proper protections for the single market and for other key British interests.

"Without those safeguards, it is better not to have a treaty within a treaty, but to have those countries make their arrangements separately. That is what is now going to happen.  Britain's interests in the European Union - keeping markets open, free trade, selling our goods and services with rules over which we have a major say - all those things are protected."