David Cameron to continue as PM regardless of Brexit referendum result

The Tory leader believes he will be the most appropriate person to lead negotiations if Brexit wins the vote

David Cameron
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron leaves Number 10 Downing Street in London
IANS London
Last Updated : Jun 20 2016 | 2:28 PM IST

British Prime Minister David Cameron said he will continue to lead the government regardless of the result of the European Union referendum on June 23.

Cameron in an interview published on Saturday said he feels responsible for the referendum, in which voters will decide if Britain will remain in or leave the EU, and which he himself promised to hold if elected in the 2015 general elections, Efe news reported.

The Tory leader believes he will be the most appropriate person to lead negotiations if Brexit (Britain's exit from the EU) wins the vote, thanks to his "solid relationships" in Europe.

"It's very important that the individual careers of individual politicians don't get caught up in this question."

In Cameron's opinion, the result of the referendum "won't be a verdict" on him as a politician, but "a verdict on the question" of whether Britain should remain in the EU.

"I just get on with the job. I have a very clear mandate from the British people to serve as Prime Minister in a Conservative government, delivering a referendum," he said.

The Tory leader acknowledged that not all his colleagues share his perspective, especially justice secretary and friend, Michael Gove, who is spearheading the Brexit campaign.

With less than a week to go for the vote, the run-up to the referendum took a tragic turn on Thursday when the pro-EU Labour MP Jo Cox was shot dead by a 52-year-old man with far-right links and mental health problems.

The fatal shooting led both sides of the referendum campaign to suspend all campaign events at the national level.

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First Published: Jun 18 2016 | 5:18 PM IST

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