Advertisement

Britain more secure in EU, says Labour 'in' campaign head

European Union and the British Union flags are seen flying outside of Europe House in London, November 10, 2015. REUTERS/Toby Melville

BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Britain is better able to fight global terrorism as a member of the European Union, and voting to leave the bloc at an upcoming referendum would make the country less safe, the head of the opposition Labour Party's 'in' campaign said on Tuesday. Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to renegotiate Britain's EU ties ahead of a vote by the end of 2017. He has said he favours remaining in a reformed EU but will rule nothing out if he cannot get the changes he wants. Alan Johnson, a Labour lawmaker and former interior minister, said the response to last month's attacks in Paris in which 130 people were killed by Islamic State militants showed the importance of Britain working closely with other EU nations. "From the European Arrest Warrant to cross-border data-sharing on terrorists, the speed of our response is vital and the lesson from Paris is clear: to tackle terrorism we must stand shoulder to shoulder with our allies in Europe," he told an audience of Labour members at the launch of the Labour In For Britain campaign in Birmingham. "The security of Britain is inextricably linked to the deep co-operation that membership of the EU provides," he added. "We must not cut ourselves off from cross-border efforts to tackle terrorism, keep our country secure, keep our people protected." Johnson, who said Labour had not done enough in recent years to make the case for European Union membership, said leaving the 28-member bloc would condemn Britain to isolation. "With challenges like the refugee crisis and Russian aggression on the EU's borders, Britain is stronger when working with our allies, committed to peace, democracy and international law," he said. (Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)