EU referendum: “UK is yet to reveal details of renegotiation”, say European leaders
As Prime Minister David Cameron met with eight other European leaders in Iceland yesterday, two revealed the United Kingdom has not yet laid down concrete plans on what it wants to achieve in a renegotiation with the European Union.
Cameron has previously said he will announce a full set of proposals in November, adding that "negotiations are going well". But today Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas and Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said Cameron had not yet outlined his proposals.
Speaking to the BBC, Roivas said discussions so far had focussed on "direction", but had not provided any detail.
Read more: "Independence" promoted by the Eurosceptics is an illusion
Meanwhile, Sipila said: "When you have a concrete proposal I think Finland and other Nordic countries, we are very open to finding a solution for that."
The revelation comes a month after French economy minister Emmanuel Macron told an audience in London he wants Britain to remain in the European Union, but added Cameron will need to be more clear in his demands if he is going to achieve any real reform in the EU.
Meanwhile, earlier this month former chancellor Lord Nigel Lawson said Cameron hasn't got a "cat's chance in hell" of getting meaningful reforms.
Cameron has promised to hold an In/Out referendum before the end of 2017, after he has wrapped up lengthy negotiations, but has recently said if the UK votes to leave there will not be a second referendum.
Read more: Younger Britons more likely to want to remain in the EU
The campaigns have both geared up, with a poll last week by Ipsos Mori finding British support for an exit has risen to 39 per cent, the highest level since 2012, up from 27 per cent in June.
However, most Britons remain in favour of staying in the EU, with 52 per cent saying they would vote "yes" – although this marks a decrease from a record high of 61 per cent in June.