Cameron is expected to defy Euroskeptics and warn against the risks of leaving the EU during a trip to Iceland Wednesday.
The PM will say that if the UK voted to the leave the EU, it may face a difficult and costly exercise to try and gain access to the European market, noting that non-EU members like Norway and Iceland pay huge fees to gain access to the single market and still have to abide by EU employment, health and safety, transport and environmental rules.
Having mishandled his negotiations, now David Cameron is talking Britain down. If we vote leave, we can have a new UK-EU deal #EUref
— Robert Oxley (@roxley) October 28, 2015
"Norway has to pay hundreds of millions of euros in membership fee to access the single market," Cameron will say, while warning that leaving the EU would mean that billions of dollars worth of other trade deals would need to be renegotiated with member states.
Iceland seem to be doing just fine outside of the European Union #Brexit pic.twitter.com/pfUPTYmrsA
— UKIP (@UKIP) October 26, 2015
In a message directly aimed at many Euroskeptics, Cameron will also say that leaving the bloc may not necessarily lead to a cut in immigration, as the UK relies on support and cooperation from other partners within the bloc.
Concerns Over Rise of Euroskeptics
The intervention marks a dramatic shift in rhetoric from Cameron, who has previously said that although his preferred option is to remain in a reformed EU, he won't rule out campaigning for Brexit, if reforms negotiations are unsuccessful.
PM, for first time since #euref campaigns began, going to wade in, warning of consequences of exit
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) October 28, 2015
Some commentators have noted that Cameron's strong warning against leaving the bloc is a reaction to the popularity and support generated by Euroskeptic campaigns in recent times.
Although polls suggest that a significant majority of Britons would prefer to stay in the EU, many have noted a considerable increase in support for a Brexit in the past couple of months, given the EU's handling of the Greek debt and refugee crises.
However, others have suggested that Cameron's softening tone towards the EU will actually undermine his efforts to negotiate meaningful change from Brussels, as he is now seen to be firmly in favor of remaining in the bloc.
Comments to Attract Criticism, Widen Divisions
Cameron's comments are sure to increase criticism of the PM from within his own party, with the Conservatives deeply divided on the issue of Britain's place in the EU.
Many high profile Conservative MPs and political donors have joined the various campaigns calling on Britain to exit the bloc.
While Cameron has previously said that he will stay out of campaigning until negotiations on proposed EU reforms are completed, his intervention in Iceland will be seen as an attempt to quell Euroskeptic sentiment and encourage support to remain in the bloc.
It's a bit counter intuitive isn't it? Using a meeting with them to say 'let's NOT be like Iceland & Norway' #EUref https://t.co/cF3w2SGJKz
— Laura Shields (@mediawhizz) October 28, 2015
Critics are concerned that the prime minister, along with Chancellor George Osborne, may only negotiate minor changes to Britain's EU membership agreement and then try and market it as a victory.
Conservative peer Anthony Bamford used an opinion piece in The Telegraph to put pressure on the PM to negotiate "radical" change or simply campaign to leave the EU.
"Forty years on, it's clear to me that either the EU has to change, or Britain's relationship with the EU has to change. If the government fails to secure truly radical reform, I will have no other choice but to vote to leave."
