David Cameron’s EU comments give people déjà vu as Brexit debate reignites | indy100

Related video: David Cameron becomes Lord of Chipping Norton

Reuters

Yes, this is actually happening. David Cameron, the former prime minister who shocked us all earlier this month when he made a surprise return to frontline politics, is now once again returning to the issue of Brexit and calling for closer ties with the European Union.

Seemingly fine with revisiting the debate which brought his time as PM (and, subsequently, MP) to an abrupt end back in 2016, Lord Cameron told BBC News in his first interview as foreign secretary that the UK has to be “a friend, a neighbour and the best possible partner” to the EU.

He said: “When you look at the engagement in Ukraine, that probably is the best example of how it’s worked. There’s no doubt that Britain is the leading European power in helping Ukraine.

“I heard that over and over again from the president downwards. But we’re doing that in partnership with our European colleagues.

“So, I think we can make friend, neighbour and partner work. And I’m determined to do so.”

It’s already taken the Conservative Party back to the major split we saw during the divisive Brexit referendum, with South Dorset MP Richard Drax telling The Telegraph: “You might want to remind Lord Cameron that we left the EU – no ifs or buts – and we’re doing very well, thank you.

“I hope that Lord Cameron’s comments are not in any way reigniting the Brexit debate, because that would be entirely wrong.”

Sir Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, chipped in: “His statement simply reinforces the concerns of those voters who think David Cameron hasn’t moved on from the referendum.”

And in terms of the online discourse in response to Lord Cameron’s comments, there’s been Brexiteer outrage, remarks on the irony of it all, and lots of screaming:

@DominicPenna Why did you ever risk the referendum then ?
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@DominicPenna Yet this guy sold out his country for a unnecessary brexit which made us poorer and lost our seat at the top tables of world politics.
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@DominicPenna Irony isn't dead \ud83d\ude06
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@DominicPenna
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None
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I\u2019ve always said it will eventually be the Tories (not Labour) who lead Britain back into the EU. \ud83d\udc47
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None
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David Cameron says the obvious. The UK & EU should work together to defend democracy & freedom against Putin's imperialism. \n\nWhy not rejoin ?! The best reply to the autocrats & their pundits in the west who want to divide us & destroy liberal democracy.\n\nhttps://t.co/K2Tp6KaFFo
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Where the f*ck do I start with this... SERIOUSLY!!!\nDavid Cameron says Britain needs closer ties with EU https://t.co/QRID9d0LPJ
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David Cameron now says that Britain needs closer ties with the EU and should work more closely with Brussels on international and defence policy. That means a raft of other areas in which we\u2019d have to accept EU rule making. No! \nhttps://t.co/CmgGeRaiAJ
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BREXIT BETRAYAL GROWS\n\nRemainer in chief Lord Cameron taking us closer to EU \n\nSunak, the silent Brexiteer, has totally sold out\n\n https://t.co/wIs14ZCu0f
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The BBC News interview also saw Lord Cameron give his “100 per cent support” to the Rwanda policy (recently ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court), refused to wade in on the issue of whether the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights, and called for more engagement with China.

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