UK’s Cameron could hold EU referendum earlier than end of 2017, seeks treaty change

LONDON Prime Minister David Cameron will hold a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union earlier than the end of 2017 if he can and wants EU treaty change as part of a renegotiation of ties, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

“If we can do it earlier we will,” his spokesman said. “There has been no change in the position.”

Cameron, who won a majority in last Thursday’s election, has been offered talks on reforms by European leaders but the EU executive has stressed that there can be no renegotiation of basic treaties.

But Cameron’s spokesman was clear: “He wants treaty change.”

“All the advice that he has had is that treaty change is required, for example in terms of some of the changes that we want to see in welfare,” the spokesman said.

Cameron, who has previously given the end of 2017 as a deadline for holding the in-out referendum, will set out Britain’s view of which reforms are needed at a meeting of EU leaders in late June, the spokesman said.

“He will set out some further details to EU colleagues at that end of June EU council,” the spokesman said. “He may well have the opportunity to have some preparatory discussions for that in bilateral meetings ahead of that as well.”

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James– Writing by Guy Faulconbridge– Editing by Kate Holton)