David Cameron should be proud of referendum - veteran MP says

Former prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life and work of Lord Ashdown at Westminster Abbey in London.
Former prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life and work of Lord Ashdown at Westminster Abbey in London.

David Cameron should be ‘proud’ of his decision to offer the British public a referendum, a veteran MP has said.

Sir John Redwood made the remarks as the first extract of Mr Cameron’s book, For the Record, was published in the Times newspaper.

Sir John speaking on Radio 4’s today programme said: “I would urge David Cameron to be proud of what he did and very proud of the fact that he offered the British people chance to have their say.

“And I would urge him to be proud of the British people’s decision and to get with us.”

Stephen Crabb (left), Conservative MP and Secretary of State for Wales, with Steve Baker, MP and Sir John Redwood, MP (right) arriving for a meeting being held at 10 Downing Street, central London.
Stephen Crabb (left), Conservative MP and Secretary of State for Wales, with Steve Baker, MP and Sir John Redwood, MP (right) arriving for a meeting being held at 10 Downing Street, central London.

Mr Cameron, 52, said he thinks about the consequences of the vote to leave the EU "every single day" and worries "desperately" about what will happen next.

However, Mr Cameron has not said he regrets calling the referendum itself.

He admitted that he has "many regrets" and that there are "many things" he would do differently about the vote, but insisted renegotiating Britain's relationship with the EU and giving the country a say was the "right approach".

"I did not fully anticipate the strength of feeling that would be unleashed both during the referendum and afterwards, and I am truly sorry to have seen the country I love so much suffer uncertainty and division in the years since then," Mr Cameron said.

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Sir John said while he felt proud of Mr Cameron’s decision he feels “let down” by the ruling Tory administration.

He added: “I am very unhappy with this current parliament - they have let people down very badly.”

Sir Craig Oliver, Mr Cameron’s former spin doctor, said his boss lives in the shadow of the decision.

He said: “He does feel the bitterness and divisiveness that’s occurred since and he is deeply concerned about that.”

When asked if the referendum was Mr Cameron’s equivalent of Tony Blair and the Iraq war Sir Craig said: “I do not think that’s fair.”

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