By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor
The PM has told “remain” campaigners that if “Brexit” happened, “can we be so sure peace and stability on our continent are assured?”
Cameron wants Britain to stay part of the European Union to ensure that the continent doesn’t get dragged into a new conflict.
He highlighted the UK’s involvement in ensuring peace in Europe as he went on the referendum campaign, only hours before a rival message from Boris Johnson.
In the speech in London, the PM said to pro-EU campaigners: “Can we be so sure peace and stability on our continent are assured beyond any shadow of doubt? Is that a risk worth taking?
“I would never be so rash to make that assumption.”
“What happens in our neighbourhood matters to Britain. That was true in 1914, 1940, 1989…. and it is true in 2016.”
Cameron and his rival Johnson were making competing speeches on the countdown to the June 23rd vote.
Cameron spoke of the previous two world wars, which brought untold misery across the Europe.
He recalled images of fallen British soldiers lying in graves at various sites on mainland Europe. He referred to Britain’s role in “pivotal moments in European history: Blenheim, Trafalgar, Waterloo, our country’s heroism in the Great War and, most of all, our lone stand in 1940”.
He said how Winston Churchill “argued passionately for Western Europe to come together, to promote free trade and build institutions which would endure so our continent would never again see such bloodshed”.
The PM said many threats to stability still remain – from a “newly belligerent Russia” to IS and the Europe-wide migration crisis.
“When terrorists are planning to kill and maim people on British streets, the closest possible security cooperation is far more important than sovereignty in its purest theoretical form,” he said.
He also stated that during his six years in Downing Street, “the terrorist threat against this country has grown”.
The Tory leader added: “Our threat level is now at severe, which means a terrorist attack is highly likely.
“Indeed, such an attack could happen at any time.”
Brexit would cause “an abject act of national retreat.
“Let’s not walkaway from institutions that helps us win the in the world,” he pleaded.
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