David Cameron opens the door for 2015 EU referendum

DAVID CAMERON yesterday refused to rule out holding a referendum as early as this year on whether to leave the European Union.

David CameronGETTY

The PM has opened the doors for an early referendum

The Prime Minister stressed the chances of a 2015 vote were “pretty slim” but his failure to close the door completely could be a signal he is considering a post-election power deal with the UK Independence Party.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage says an in-out referendum this year would be a key ­condition for his supporting a minority Conservative government in a hung parliament.

Mr Cameron has pledged to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s EU membership and put the deal to voters in a referendum by the end of 2017 if he wins May’s general election.

In an interview yesterday he said: “I’ve said there will be a renegotiation and then a referendum.

“Obviously the sooner that renegotiation can get done the better and quite frankly the chances of doing that inside 2015 after an election in May is pretty slim.”

Insisting he did not want another coalition, he added: “I’m going to spend the next 50-odd days campaigning for a Conservative majority ­government.

“I think it can be done. If I fall short you can ask me the next day what I’ll do about it.”

I’ve said there will be a renegotiation and then a referendum

Mr Farage has declared previously: “The terms of my deal with the Tories would be very precise and simple.

“I want a full and fair referendum to be held in 2015 to allow Britain to vote on being in or out of the European Union.”

The Ukip leader suggested it would take only “a few weeks” to launch and run a referendum.

But Robert Oxley, campaign director of the pro- referendum group Business for Britain, warned yesterday against rushing the process.

He said: “Taking time to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU followed by an in-out referendum is the best chance to secure substantial changes, either resulting in Britain remaining inside a genuinely reformed EU or with a new relationship altogether.

“A rush to a referendum would deny voters the chance to make an informed choice, would limit the scope for reform and could result in Britain stuck with the ­damaging status quo.”

Mr Farage says he does not want a formal coalition with the Conservatives.

Instead he says he can envisage a situation where the Tories are the biggest party but lack a clear ­majority and Ukip and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party strike a “confidence and supply” arrangement to keep the Conservatives in power by ­supporting key ­legislation.

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