David Cameron’s Commitment to a
Referendum and EU Renegotiations
Dr Monika Brusenbauch Meislová
EVS465: Brexit: Politics, Policies and Processes
19 March 2019 + 2 April 2019
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ David Cameron: more substantial imprint upon the British relationship with the EU than any
previous British Prime Minister since the UK joined the European Community in 1973.
̶ Leader of the CP since 2005.
̶ Prime minister since 2010.
̶ “Britain needs to be in the EU – it is not in Britain’s interest to leave the EU” (2011).
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ Bloomberg Speech (23 January 2013)
̶ DC discusses the future of the European Union and declares commitment to renegotiate a better
settlement for the UK’s membership in the EU and hold an in/out EU referendum, should the
Conservative Party win the 2015 general election.
̶ Three Rs’: reform, renegotiation, referendum
̶ It is time to settle this European question
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ Other parts of the Bloomberg speech
̶ Connections between UK and Europe
̶ Tensions that have long been present (+ identification of some of the causes)
̶ Lack of public support
̶ DC prone to taking political gambles
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ Referenda in UK politics
̶ UK-wide referenda still rare.
̶ No direct provision for REFs under UK‘s uncodified constitution → govt has a large say over their
timing, question, subject etc.
Commitment to a Referendum
Reasons behind the referendum commitment
Tensions within the Conservative Party
̶ → REF as a tool to hold the party together
̶ Issue of Europe = long a source of tension within CP
̶ A series of concessions to placate the Eurosceptics.
̶ Decision (2005) to take Conservative MEPs out of the group of the European People’s Party →
DC did so in 2009
̶ Commitment to holding a referendum on Lisbon Treaty (impossible to deliver on)
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ Referendum Lock (2011)
Any future amendments to the EU Treaties transferring additional “significant” powers to the
European level be subject to a national referendum.
̶ Review of the Balance of Competences (2012): an audit of what the EU does and how it affects
the UK.
The 32-volume Review completed in autumn 2014
was to form the basis for the Government’s proposed reform of the UK’s relationship with the EU.
Commitment to a Referendum
̶ Changing UK political landscape
̶ Reality of the coalition government (2010-2015)
̶ Steady rise of UKIP
̶ UKIP widely identified as a populist right-wing single-issue party.
̶ Voters disenchanted with mainstream politics.
̶ An uphill battle to get noticed.
̶ May 2014: a record 26% of the vote in European elections (the UK's biggest party in the European
Parliament)
̶ Party‘s message: combination of Euroscepticism, anti-immigration policies and populism.
Campaign for Britain’s departure from the EU = party’s raison d’être.
̶ Role of media
̶ Role of public opinion
̶ Changing EU (especially in a sense of developments within Eurozone)
Renegotiations
Timeline
´
̶ 14 April 2015: Launch of the Conservative Party Manifesto for the 2015 General Election (Pledge: “Real
change in our relationship with the European Union” and commits to “hold an in-out referendum on our
membership of the EU before the end of 2017”.
̶ May 7, 2015: Conservatives win a general election
̶ 10 November 2015
̶ David Cameron delivers a speech on Europe to Chatham House, setting out the case for EU reform
and reaffirming his commitment to an EU referendum before the end of 2017.
̶ In a letter to Donald Tusk the Prime Minister sets out the four areas where he is seeking reform as
part of negotiations on the UK’s membership of the EU
Renegotiations
̶ December 2015: The European Union Referendum Act receives Royal Assent (provides for the holding
of a referendum in the UK and Gibraltar on whether the UK should remain a member of the EU).
̶ 2 February 2016: Donald Tusk writes to Members of the European Council on his proposal for a new
settlement for the UK within the EU. The European Council publishes its Draft Decision concerning a
‘New Settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union’.
̶ 3 February 2016: The Prime Minister gives a statement to the House of Commons on the progress
made regarding the UK-EU renegotiation.
̶ 18-19 February 2016: European Council meeting.
̶ 22 February 2016: The Prime Minister announces the EU referendum date – 23 June 2016 – after
securing a deal on Britain's membership of the EU.
Renegotiations
̶ Difficult renegotiations
̶ A three-level game (party, country, EU)
̶ Problematic timing (reduced his leverage + meaningful reform of the EU dropped off the agenda)
̶ Asked Tory parliamentarians not to declare support for remain or leave until after he had completed his
negotiations
̶ January 5, 2016: Ministers free to campaign on either side
Renegotiations
̶ Four clusters or ‘baskets’ or demands:
̶ economic governance
̶ competitiveness
̶ sovereignty
̶ Immigration
̶ → outcome offered little to placate those concerned about sovereignty, immigration or benefits
payments.
̶ Deal reached in February 2016 (“special status” within the EU)
̶ Immediately dismissed by hardline Eurosceptics as weak and not going far enough
̶ The press was very strong in its dismissal of the deal.
̶ Research Briefings
̶ https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/category/brexit/
̶ Brexitcasts
̶ https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05299nl/episodes/player
Thank you very much for your attention
(brusenbauch.meislova@email.cz)