Ex-EU president Barroso says Cameron should defend Britain's place in EU
Ex-European Union Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso thinks the conditions for holding a referendum on Britain’s continued membership of the EU have improved following the Conservatives’ victory at the polls on 8 May, given the fresh legitimacy gained by Cameron.
Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Barroso emphasised that the tone of the UK’s approach in negotiations with Brussels was important.
“The other leaders of the European Union, all of them I know well, are willing to accommodate some concerns and points made by Britain, providing they are compatible with the overall project of European integration.
I really hope that Prime Minister Cameron will be able to not only keep the United Kingdom united - as happened with the referendum with Scotland - but also keep it European, united,” Barroso said.
Some observers have noted that suggestions the UK wants to renegotiate current treaties would meet stiff resistance from other European leaders.
Barroso said he too was of the view that some abuses of social security systems need to be ended. However, deals to restrict benefits to EU migrants would be “extremely difficult” and be dealt with one by one, he added.
The Brussels technocrat, who was also Portugal’s Prime Minister between 2002 and 2004, voiced his doubts about the compatibility of proposals to impose a four-year waiting period before migrants were eligible for benefits.