MOSCOW, November 10 (Sputnik) — UK Prime Minister David Cameron vowed on Monday that Britain would not stay in the European Union "come what may", saying Brussels needed to address immigration concerns of the British public if it wanted to keep London in the bloc.
Speaking at a meeting of the Confederation of British Industry, a UK economic pressure group, Cameron said that, "Britain's future in Europe matters to our country." He added, however, that it was not working properly for Britain at the moment, "and that is why we need to make changes".
He said further that, simply saying, Britain would stay in the European Union and stick with Europe "come what may" "is not a plan and that won't work".
The European Union must put additional controls on migration, Cameron said. He called for reforms in the welfare system, which has been in the spotlight in the United Kingdom due to the abuse of welfare benefits by the increasing flow of migrants.
The speech was aimed at allaying the concerns of British business, which fears to lose a free market estimated at 500 million people in the event of an in-out vote on the EU membership.
Cameron's Conservative party has adopted a firmer stance on migration ahead of the May 2015 general election. The ruling party is currently losing to the most eurosceptic party in Britain — UK Independence Party (UKIP) — that has been gaining ground both domestically and in the European Parliament recently.
Cameron has claimed he would hold a referendum on the British membership in the European Union in 2017 if he wins the May national election.
