British Prime Minister David Cameron strongly suggested on Friday that he would hold his promised in-out referendum on EU membership in 2016 after securing a deal on his "Brexit" reform demands.
Cameron said after an EU summit in Brussels that his government aimed to achieve a breakthrough at the next summit in February in his drive to reform the 28-nation bloc, and then encourage British voters to remain inside. "I believe that 2016 will be the year we achieve something really vital, fundamentally changing the UK's relationship with the EU and finally addressing the concerns of the British people about our membership," he told a press conference, at the end of a two-day summit dominated by the migrant crisis and efforts to avoid a so-called Brexit. "Then it will be for the British people to decide whether we will remain or leave."
A law being passed by the British parliament stipulates that the referendum must be held by the end of 2017, but Cameron has not set a date. Reports have suggested he is keen on mid-2016, as soon as possible after a deal. On Thursday, Cameron hailed "good progress" toward a reform deal with his European Union peers but warned there would be hard work to seal an accord by February as hoped.