Philip Hammond to support Cameron if he decides to STICK with EU in sensational U-turn
FORMER Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said he won’t break ranks over the European Union if the Prime Minister can secure a renegotiation deal.
Defence Secretary Hammond has previously backed Brexit
Mr Hammond revealed yesterday that he “can’t envisage” campaigning to ditch Brussels if David Cameron’s plans are not agreed to by all 28 EU member states.
He said: "Our first challenge is to get the right deal, and we are making good progress on that.
EU Leader Jean-Claude Junker
“I can't envisage us negotiating a deal which the Prime Minister thinks is good enough to recommend to the British people and which I feel I want to campaign against.”
The former Defence chief was quoted as saying he’d want to ditch the Brussels cabal in 2013.
The U-turn comes as Mr Cameron travels Europe aiming to secure his plan of a migrant benefits blitz.
Hammond was in favour of Brexit in 2013
PM David Cameron with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban
The Prime Minister is trying to secure a four-year ban on migrants claiming in-work benefits as part of a larger renegotiation of European treaties.
But it has been reported that EU leaders would want this ban extended to 18-to-22 year old British workers.
Downing Street said that this was “noise and speculation”.
David Cameron is seeking treaty renegotiation
In a humiliating blow, Mr Cameron was forced this week to let cabinet ministers campaign against him to leave the EU by suspending “collective responsibility”.
Front benchers who could potentially support a British exit - dubbed Brexit - include Home Secretary Theresa May, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and Leader of the Commons Chris Grayling.
London Mayor Boris Johnson is also tipped to be in favour of leaving if treaties aren’t altered.
Cameron says he will renegotiate EU terms before a referendum this year
But now the Government has been accused of silencing eurosceptic MPs.
While Hammond and Treasury Secretary Greg Hands took to the airwaves to heap praise on Brussels, Robert Oxley of Vote Leave claimed their eurosceptic colleagues were being “gagged”.
Tory HQ is reportedly whipping MPs into taking “pro-EU” lines while junior ministers are apparently being told to make media comments praising the European Union.