:00:00. > :00:09.The choice is in your hands, but my recommendation is clear;
:00:10. > :00:12.I believe that Britain will be safer, stronger and better off
:00:13. > :00:23.The debate has started, and the date is set,
:00:24. > :00:26.British voters will decide on June the 23rd, if they want to stay in,
:00:27. > :00:37.The announcement was made here in Downing Street earlier today when
:00:38. > :00:41.the Prime Minister chaired a cabinet meeting and explained the new deal
:00:42. > :00:45.he had negotiated in Brussels. But not everyone is convinced, Justice
:00:46. > :00:52.Secretary Michael Gove will campaign to leave the EU along with several
:00:53. > :00:56.other Cabinet colleagues. I just do not believe we can take decisions in
:00:57. > :00:59.our national interest when we've given up so much control over what
:01:00. > :01:01.this country does in the European Union.
:01:02. > :01:04.So as the sides line up, we'll be asking voters in Swindon
:01:05. > :01:06.for their thoughts, now that the referendum fixture
:01:07. > :01:09.And, we'll be reporting from Edinburgh, where the Scottish
:01:10. > :01:12.government says it will be making a strong case,
:01:13. > :01:37.for remaining inside the European Union.
:01:38. > :01:39.Good afternoon from Downing Street, where earlier today,
:01:40. > :01:41.the Prime Minister emerged from Number 10,
:01:42. > :01:44.to announce that a referendum will be held on the 23rd of June,
:01:45. > :01:47.to decide whether Britain remains a member of the European Union.
:01:48. > :01:49.It will be, in his words, 'one of the biggest decisions
:01:50. > :01:53.This morning he chaired a cabinet meeting,
:01:54. > :01:55.spelling out the new terms of EU membership,
:01:56. > :02:03.Several of Mr Cameron's cabinet colleagues, including the justice
:02:04. > :02:05.secretary Michael Gove, have already announced
:02:06. > :02:08.they will campaign for Britain to leave the EU.
:02:09. > :02:11.We'll have more on the detail of Mr Cameron's deal in a moment,
:02:12. > :02:13.but first our political editor Laura Kuenssberg reports
:02:14. > :02:27.Just what has the Prime Minister opened up? An argument not all of
:02:28. > :02:35.his colleagues can agree on. As opened up? An argument not all of
:02:36. > :02:40.Cabinet gathered to tell each other at last officially if they are in
:02:41. > :02:44.all out. Was it a difficult decision, Mr Gove? An awkward
:02:45. > :02:49.entrance for one of the Prime Minister's closest friends, who will
:02:50. > :02:53.oppose him. While ministers met, a crowd gathered. It's no secret how
:02:54. > :02:56.big a decision basis for our soul. But what the Prime Minister would
:02:57. > :03:02.recommend was never really a secret either. With the deal from Brussels
:03:03. > :03:05.in his back pocket, he it was. We are approaching one of the biggest
:03:06. > :03:11.decisions this country will face in our lifetimes. Whether to remain in
:03:12. > :03:17.a reformed European Union or to leave. Our plan for Europe gives us
:03:18. > :03:22.the best of both worlds. It underlines our special status
:03:23. > :03:25.through which families across Britain get all the benefits of
:03:26. > :03:31.being in the European Union, including more jobs, lower prices
:03:32. > :03:36.and greater security. But our special status also means we are out
:03:37. > :03:40.of those parts of Europe that do not work for us. I will go to Parliament
:03:41. > :03:45.and propose that the British people decide our future in Europe. Through
:03:46. > :03:52.an in -out referendum on Thursday 23rd June. The choice is in your
:03:53. > :04:00.hands. But my recommendation is clear, I believe Britain will be
:04:01. > :04:05.safer, stronger and better off in a reformed European Union. Don't be in
:04:06. > :04:09.any doubt, this is one of the biggest political moments for years,
:04:10. > :04:13.he has finally confirmed you will be asked the biggest political question
:04:14. > :04:17.in decades and he is putting up state our membership of the European
:04:18. > :04:23.Union, the unity of his party and, indeed, his own political future.
:04:24. > :04:26.Most of his ministers are on side. I think everyone think it's a good
:04:27. > :04:30.deal, the question is whether it was good enough for everybody to think
:04:31. > :04:33.he should still stay in Europe, I think it was. It's a great deal for
:04:34. > :04:40.Scotland as well. Those who will fight him slip out the back door.
:04:41. > :04:44.I'm a member of the Cabinet, the Secretary of State for Work and
:04:45. > :04:48.Pensions. I'm ringing you from the vote leave campaign. Straight to the
:04:49. > :04:56.headquarters of one of the outcome pains. An awkward snap of the gang
:04:57. > :05:00.of six. This will be remembered. But what is their case? The first
:05:01. > :05:03.Cabinet ministers to speak for out told me. There are things we could
:05:04. > :05:07.and should be doing in the interest of this country that we simply
:05:08. > :05:10.cannot do as mothers of the EU. I want to be able to control our
:05:11. > :05:13.borders to limit the number of people who live and work here, but
:05:14. > :05:17.above all I just do not believe we can take decisions in our national
:05:18. > :05:20.interest when we are part of the European Union when we've given up
:05:21. > :05:23.so much control over what this country does. How dangerous moment
:05:24. > :05:28.do you think it is the Conservative Party? We will have senior figures
:05:29. > :05:31.in the party from top to bottom publicly disagreeing with each other
:05:32. > :05:35.over these fundamental ideas. I'm not going to attack the Prime
:05:36. > :05:40.Minister. The Prime Minister has worked immensely hard to change our
:05:41. > :05:44.relationship with the European Union, the debate is whether that
:05:45. > :05:49.change is sufficient to allow us to stay or whether people will decide
:05:50. > :05:54.to go. The campaign to state will have the backing of most Tory, Lib
:05:55. > :05:59.Dem, labour and SNP MPs, even if for different reasons. Our position is
:06:00. > :06:06.quite simple, that we want to be in government in 2020 to deliver a much
:06:07. > :06:09.stronger social Europe, better workers protection, environmental
:06:10. > :06:13.protection across Europe. That is the agenda Cameron should have been
:06:14. > :06:18.following. Number ten hopes a new and improved relationship with the
:06:19. > :06:25.EU can win you over, but the referendum will ask, if this place,
:06:26. > :06:28.if all of us, RE and in charge? Lynch are really in charge.
:06:29. > :06:31.It's three years since the prime minister said he would be seeking
:06:32. > :06:34.a 'new settlement' for Britain, in the European Union.
:06:35. > :06:36.The new terms he secured, in last night's agreement,
:06:37. > :06:38.should, according to Mr Cameron, help to reduce people's concerns
:06:39. > :06:44.But how do those new terms compare with his original goals?
:06:45. > :06:47.Are they, as the critics say, a very poor result for the UK?
:06:48. > :06:49.Our deputy political editor James Landale has
:06:50. > :06:59.When David Cameron set out to reform Britain's relationship with the
:07:00. > :07:04.European Union, his ambition was clear. That is why we need
:07:05. > :07:09.fundamental far-reaching change. So has he got it? Well, one aim was to
:07:10. > :07:14.deter EU migration by curbing their benefits. The Tory manifesto
:07:15. > :07:18.promised that if an EU migrant's child is living abroad, they should
:07:19. > :07:23.receive no child benefit. The deal says that EU migrants will just
:07:24. > :07:27.received less child benefit. Immediately, if they are new
:07:28. > :07:31.arrivals, in four years if they are already here. The manifesto also
:07:32. > :07:35.promised EU migrants who want to claim tax credits must live here and
:07:36. > :07:39.contribute to our country for a minimum of four years. The deal says
:07:40. > :07:44.instead EU migrants will have their tax credits phased in readily over
:07:45. > :07:49.four years. A restriction the government will be able to impose
:07:50. > :07:51.only for the next seven years. The Prime Minister also promised to
:07:52. > :07:57.protect Britain from being sucked into deeper political union. I'm
:07:58. > :08:02.asking European Union leaders for a clear, legally binding and
:08:03. > :08:07.irreversible agreement to end Britain's obligation, so it's time
:08:08. > :08:12.to give these national parliaments a greater say in EU lawmaking. The
:08:13. > :08:15.deal does indeed save the UK won't be committed to further political
:08:16. > :08:22.integration and it gives more power to national parliaments to block new
:08:23. > :08:26.EU laws. The Prime Minister promised to protect the economy from
:08:27. > :08:30.financial decisions made by Eurozone countries. I'm asking European
:08:31. > :08:35.leaders to agree clear and binding principles that protect written and
:08:36. > :08:38.other non-euro countries. And a safeguard mechanism to enjoy those
:08:39. > :08:43.principles are respected and enforced. The deal bans any
:08:44. > :08:47.discrimination against non-euro countries and gives the UK the right
:08:48. > :08:56.to challenge, but not veto, Eurozone decisions they oppose. This deal
:08:57. > :09:01.does introduce a deterrent against migration, safeguards from the
:09:02. > :09:04.Eurozone, and a check on further political integration. But it
:09:05. > :09:09.doesn't restrict free of movement labour around Europe, doesn't change
:09:10. > :09:12.EU employment law, doesn't reform farm payments. All of which the
:09:13. > :09:18.Prime Minister has promised in the past. This deal is by definition a
:09:19. > :09:24.compromise. The question now is whether it's good enough to convince
:09:25. > :09:30.voters to remain in the EU or so minimal it persuades them to vote to
:09:31. > :09:32.leave. Let's draw some of these strands together.
:09:33. > :09:35.In a moment we'll be talking to Laura Kuenssberg our political
:09:36. > :09:37.editor, who's with me here, but first to Brussels
:09:38. > :09:45.What is your sense of the reaction there today, given all of the first
:09:46. > :09:52.strands of the debate we are now getting in the UK? Here, as bleary
:09:53. > :09:56.eyed European leaders left last night, they sounded relieved the
:09:57. > :10:00.British issue was settled for now at least, because it's been a long
:10:01. > :10:04.negotiation, it's been hard, some found it quite irritating. There
:10:05. > :10:09.have been tricky issues to crack, many worried the initial benefit
:10:10. > :10:13.discrimination and macro proposals discriminated against EU workers.
:10:14. > :10:18.France said Britain was seeking special treatment for the City of
:10:19. > :10:21.London. Angela Merkel, the key ally of David Cameron, Sergei found it
:10:22. > :10:28.hard to accept the EU was opting out of closer political union. A deal
:10:29. > :10:31.was done because it had to be done. The need to give David Cameron Amy
:10:32. > :10:37.negotiation he could sell with some conviction from those concerns and
:10:38. > :10:40.produced those compromises that didn't break fundamental European
:10:41. > :10:45.principles. There is relief in Europe that it can also now start to
:10:46. > :10:52.think about bigger issues, equally big issues like the migration
:10:53. > :10:55.prices. -- migration crisis. They think it could endanger the whole
:10:56. > :11:05.European project if Britain left, but they know it's not up to them.
:11:06. > :11:06.Laura is with me in Downing Street. What has been confirmed today.
:11:07. > :11:13.Laura is with me in Downing Street. some things to tie up? Two quite big
:11:14. > :11:17.unresolved issues, first, will that gang of six Conservative Cabinet
:11:18. > :11:22.ministers who have been out and proud today become a gang of seven.
:11:23. > :11:26.We haven't seen hide nor hair of Boris Johnson, friend and rival of
:11:27. > :11:30.the Prime Minister. You many people believe could add some real fizz to
:11:31. > :11:34.the campaign and cut through too many members of the public. What is
:11:35. > :11:38.still unresolved is what non-button has come up with on the issue of
:11:39. > :11:42.sovereignty. The simplest way of describing this is, the government
:11:43. > :11:46.wants to come up with something that means our Supreme Court here in
:11:47. > :11:51.London would be able to give the European Court a much harder time
:11:52. > :11:55.when the European Court tries to overturn some of our laws. It's
:11:56. > :11:58.crucial to some Eurosceptics who really think we should leave the
:11:59. > :12:02.European Union. Tomorrow we will get more details of that from the Prime
:12:03. > :12:07.Minister. Overall questions will be bigger than that, the fight will be
:12:08. > :12:12.intense. Now we know the vote is going to be 123 days away, feels
:12:13. > :12:16.like a long time. A week is a long time in politics.
:12:17. > :12:17.In Edinburgh, the Scottish government,
:12:18. > :12:20.says it remains committed to making the case for Britain remaining
:12:21. > :12:24.The first minister and leader of the SNP, Nicola Sturgeon,
:12:25. > :12:29.said it was now more important than ever that those who supported
:12:30. > :12:31.Scotland's being inside the EU said so loudly and clearly.
:12:32. > :12:33.Our Scotland editor Sarah Smith is in Edinburgh with
:12:34. > :12:47.As you said, the SNP have indicated they intend to campaign vigorously
:12:48. > :12:51.for continued membership in the European Union and, in fact, nearly
:12:52. > :12:55.all senior politicians in Scotland have said they will campaign to
:12:56. > :13:00.remain. The polls here are currently showing about 60% of Scottish voters
:13:01. > :13:04.say they will opt to stay in the European Union. That is why the SNP
:13:05. > :13:07.have said today that Scotland should not be forced out of the EU, if the
:13:08. > :13:13.have said today that Scotland should rest of the UK votes to leave. On
:13:14. > :13:19.eight to reach Edinburgh afternoon, people still enjoy if you European
:13:20. > :13:25.delicacies with a Scottish touch. Irn-Bru flavoured macaroons anyone?
:13:26. > :13:30.-- driech. Seriously, what happened in the EU referendum in June could
:13:31. > :13:33.have far-reaching consequences in Scotland. This referendum is meant
:13:34. > :13:37.to end the debate about Britain's future in or out of the European
:13:38. > :13:40.Union, but could raise all sorts of questions about the future of the
:13:41. > :13:44.United Kingdom. If the UK were to vote to leave while Scotland had
:13:45. > :13:48.indicated voters wanted to remain, it could cause a second referendum
:13:49. > :13:53.on Scottish independence. The Nationalists might be more
:13:54. > :13:56.on Scottish independence. The win this time. The SNP insists
:13:57. > :13:58.Scotland should not be forced out of EU if it's not what
:13:59. > :14:00.Scotland should not be forced out of I hope it doesn't happen, I hope the
:14:01. > :14:02.Scotland should not be forced out of UK as a whole votes to stay in, but
:14:03. > :14:08.I think it's obvious UK as a whole votes to stay in, but
:14:09. > :14:13.if Scotland found themselves taken out of the EU against their will, we
:14:14. > :14:16.would have another referendum. In a French cafe in Edinburgh the
:14:17. > :14:19.argument about Britain's future in the EU is seen as part of the wider
:14:20. > :14:25.ongoing debate about Scotland's place in the world. Scotland is used
:14:26. > :14:31.to being part of a larger union, it knows how to operate. England has
:14:32. > :14:36.not had that experience, and it's scary. England has always been a
:14:37. > :14:42.dominant part of the United Kingdom. It doesn't know how to be the
:14:43. > :14:45.smaller part of a bigger union. Scotland is an important nation
:14:46. > :14:48.throughout the world, it's a key exporter, its lead the world in
:14:49. > :14:54.research and development. What we are now part of is an ever shrinking
:14:55. > :14:58.part of the global market. It is not democratic, it doesn't respect our
:14:59. > :15:03.wishes. I think even though we've had some success in Europe in the
:15:04. > :15:07.past, it's time to move on. It can be a pretty lonely job trying to
:15:08. > :15:10.persuade Scots to vote to leave. Nearly all the senior politicians in
:15:11. > :15:14.Scotland will be campaigning to stay. Here in Scotland we need a
:15:15. > :15:20.Scottish Government to stand up against Brussels and fight for our
:15:21. > :15:23.steelworkers and steel industry, our farming industry and fishing
:15:24. > :15:29.industry. Sadly, they are not doing that. Those campaigning to stay in
:15:30. > :15:34.the EU have a much easier job in Scotland. Polls show Scots are more
:15:35. > :15:39.likely to opt to remain than voters in any other part of Britain. In the
:15:40. > :15:49.end it could be Scottish votes that keep the UK inside the EU. Our
:15:50. > :15:54.Scottish editor with the latest perspective in Edinburgh. You can
:15:55. > :16:00.find out more background and analysis about the referendum and
:16:01. > :16:05.the issues involved on our website. If you have a look at that, you will
:16:06. > :16:09.see the blogs from Laura Kuenssberg and others and plenty of background.
:16:10. > :16:17.Take a look at the website when you can.
:16:18. > :16:20.Let's take a brief look at some of the day's other news now.
:16:21. > :16:23.It's thought two Serbian citizens were killed in a US air strike
:16:24. > :16:25.yesterday on so-called Islamic State militants in Libya.
:16:26. > :16:27.The pair were embassy workers who were kidnapped in November.
:16:28. > :16:30.They were being held near a site which the Americans claimed
:16:31. > :16:33.President Museveni has won Uganda's election,
:16:34. > :16:36.International election observers criticised the conduct
:16:37. > :16:37.of both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
:16:38. > :16:47.Mr Museveni has already been in office for 30 years.
:16:48. > :16:49.The magician and entertainer Paul Daniels - who was a familiar
:16:50. > :16:52.face on BBC television for 15 years - has been diagnosed
:16:53. > :17:03.The 77 year-old is married to fellow entertainer Debbie McGee.
:17:04. > :17:05.Let's have some more on today's announcement -
:17:06. > :17:08.here in Downing Street - that a referendum on the UK's future
:17:09. > :17:10.in the European Union will be held on June the 23rd,
:17:11. > :17:14.just over a year since the general election last year.
:17:15. > :17:16.Our correspondent Robert Hall has been to Swindon
:17:17. > :17:18.to talk to voters there about the prospect of
:17:19. > :17:33.A miserable match day in Swindon town. Fans trudging through the
:17:34. > :17:37.puddles towards kick-off were still digesting Mr Cameron's efforts in
:17:38. > :17:41.Brussels. Not too happy with it because I think he could have gone a
:17:42. > :17:46.lot further. Seems to have got a better deal but I'm still not
:17:47. > :17:49.convinced it'll all go through. These people talk about us coming
:17:50. > :17:54.out of the European Union don't think about the cost on jobs. The
:17:55. > :17:58.County Ground is a few yards from the Magic roundabout. Actually, six
:17:59. > :18:04.mini roundabouts. Once voted the scariest road junction in the UK.
:18:05. > :18:08.The key to getting through this junction safely is to make a clear
:18:09. > :18:13.decision about where you want to go and not be distracted by the
:18:14. > :18:17.swirling traffic around you. Swindon's travellers take it in
:18:18. > :18:20.their stride, but can they concentrate as hard on the blur of
:18:21. > :18:26.information on issues surrounding a referendum vote? Across the junction
:18:27. > :18:29.in die's barbershop, the bars of clippers rather than Brussels
:18:30. > :18:33.politics was foremost in customers minds. I'm not very aware of what
:18:34. > :18:39.the major issues are regarding leaving the EU. Overall, it's not
:18:40. > :18:42.going to make that much of a difference, there are more serious
:18:43. > :18:46.things facing the country than membership of the EU. Every driver
:18:47. > :18:51.approaching the Magic roundabout is given a clear idea of what they are
:18:52. > :18:56.facing. Most people here simply want clarity and honesty ahead of any
:18:57. > :19:00.vote. They can't really sit around once he's got this arrangement and
:19:01. > :19:03.say we will have a referendum and expect us to walk in and vote on
:19:04. > :19:10.something we don't understand and don't know enough about. We do need
:19:11. > :19:13.to be part of a large community. It's down to the politicians to make
:19:14. > :19:16.sure the things that really matter are the things people think about
:19:17. > :19:19.when they are going to put across in the box. The journey ahead will
:19:20. > :19:23.bring more passionate debate and more conflicting information.
:19:24. > :19:29.Working out the right way to travel will be a continuing headache.
:19:30. > :19:38.A selection of views in Swindon today. Let's talk to Laura. About
:19:39. > :19:41.the stakes, they are so high. Huge, whatever the fortunes of individual
:19:42. > :19:46.politicians and politics, and there will be plenty of it in months to
:19:47. > :19:51.come, it's a huge moment. We know when this road will happen and that
:19:52. > :19:54.it is certain to happen. It means there is a real possibility we might
:19:55. > :19:59.leave the European Union for good or for eel, it's been part of the way
:20:00. > :20:03.the country is run. For many years. -- full or doorbell.
:20:04. > :20:11.The fact we might be on our way out, that, in itself, is a huge thing
:20:12. > :20:14.here. The stakes are massive. Ironic for a Prime Minister who began his
:20:15. > :20:18.leadership saying his party had to stop banging on about Europe. He is
:20:19. > :20:21.making this question part of his legacy. We'll talk again this
:20:22. > :20:25.evening, no doubt.