Evidence from the Prime Minister, 4 May 2016
Liaison Committee Oral evidence: Evidence from the Prime Minister Wednesday 4 May 2016 Ordered by the House of Commons to be published on 4 May 2016. Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Andrew Tyrie (Chair), Nicola Blackwood, Crispin Blunt, Andrew Bridgen, Neil Carmichael, Sir William Cash, Frank Field, Meg Hillier, Mr Bernard Jenkin, Neil Parish, Keith Vaz, Pete Wishart, Dr Sarah Wollaston, Mr Iain Wright Questions 1–97 Witness: Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister, gave evidence Q1 Chair: Thank you very much for coming to give evidence, Prime Minister. Mr Cameron: A pleasure. Chair: We are particularly keen because, of course, you were initially reluctant; but we are very glad you have changed your mind. Mr Cameron: That’s a nice start—always keen. Chair: We are always pleased to see you. You are welcome to come more often if you particularly want to, Prime Minister, but I do value the opportunity, particularly on this subject—I think we all do—bearing in mind we have got the referendum coming. Perhaps I can begin by quoting, as an opening question, what you said in your Chatham House speech. You said, “if we can’t reach…an agreement”—that is, the agreement you have negotiated—“if Britain’s concerns” are “met with a deaf ear…we will have to think again about whether this European Union is right for us.” Is the current EU, without the renegotiated package, right for us? Mr Cameron: That is not the choice we have, and that was the choice I was determined to avoid.
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