PM Defends Claims About Brexit And War

19 May 2016, 15:51 | Updated: 25 August 2016, 16:58

LBC Exclusive: Iain Dale has put your questions to Prime Minister David Cameron - including whether he genuinely believes leaving the EU could make war more likely.

In an extended interview with Mr Cameron, Iain Dale asked him a range of questions from the upcoming EU referendum to playing golf with President Obama.

But the first question he asked the Prime Minister was the one that the majority of listeners wanted him to answer.

"You said three months ago, you would never argue that Britain couldn't surive outside the EU, which is essentially what you're arguing now.

"If you're so fearful, why did you decide to hold a referendum in the first place?"

Cameron answered: "First of all, let me repeat. I think Britain could survive outside the EU, we're an amazing country.

"The question is not: can we survive?

"It's how do we do best. How will we have the most jobs? How will we be strongest in the world? How will we be safest from terror?

"After six years of doing this job as Prime Minister, I'm absolutely convinced the answer to that is stronger and safer in."

Iain kept pressing Cameron: "If you genuinely believe a Brexit would mean the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs, war is more likely, companies would move overseas - surely it's totally irresponsible to hold a referendum?"

"I don't think so, we're a democracy. 

"We talk a lot about sovereignty in this debate. This is a sovereign decision of the British people.

Iain asked next: "But hasn't Project Fear gone far enough when you suggest war would be more likely if we leave the EU? People just laugh at that."

Cameron responded: "Let's take that speech in particular. I did not say if we leave on Wednesday, World War Three is going to break out on Thursday. 

"What I said was, the EU along with NATO has been one of the organisations that has helped to keep the peace in Europe...and we should think very carefully before giving these things up."

In the broad-ranging interview, Cameron also discussed what he said to Jeremy Corbyn at the Queen's Speech and how well he fared when playing golf with President Obama.

You can hear the full interview here: