Brown for UK to stay in EU

LONDON: A passionate, last- minute intervention by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is credited with swaying voters in Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom during

LONDON: A passionate, last- minute intervention by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is credited with swaying voters in Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom during the 2014 referendum –now he hopes to achieve similar effect on Britain’s future in the EU.

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Pitching into influence voters to stay in the European Union during the June 23 referendum, Brown highlighted the issue of Britain assuming the EU’s rotating presidency from 2017, and how it could use the position to seek reform of the 28-nation bloc.

Brown suggested a reform agenda he hopes will assuage anti-EU feelings. It included 500,000 new jobs for Britain, action against tax havens, action against terrorism and help for communities hit by immigration, among others.

Critics were unsure if the David Cameron government had signed up to Brown’s reform agenda, and insisted there was no guarantee he would have the same influence as he did during the Scotland referendum.

Brown’ s intervention was part of a relaunch by the “Remain in EU” camp that faces increasing support for the Vote Leave camp, because of the latter’s focus on immigration from the within EU, which Britain is unable to stop due to the “free movement” principle.