Brexit: David Cameron calls on Brussels to curb immigration as part of future trade deals with UK

Awkward meeting: David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
AP
Robin de Peyer29 June 2016
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David Cameron demanded that EU leaders allow measures to curb migration in order to secure trade deals with Britain in future.

The Prime Minister admitted that the public's attitudes towards immigration cost him his job and was the main reason for a Brexit vote last week.

A clearly emotional Mr Cameron said there was "sadness and regret" among the 28 leaders around the table at the European Council that the UK was leaving the EU after 43 years.

It came as EU leaders were today set to meet in Brussels to discuss Brexit without the PM in stark illustration of Britain's future relationship with the bloc.

Mr Cameron offered his assessment of the reasons Britain voted to leave the EU by 52%-48% over a dinner of poached veal and strawberries before flying home last night.

He said: "I think people recognised the strength of the economic case for staying, but there was a very great concern about the movement of people and immigration, and I think that is coupled with a concern about the issues of sovereignty and the absence of control there has been."

Mr Cameron added: "I think we need to think about that, Europe need to think about that and I think that is going to be one of the major tests for the next prime minister.

"It's a difficult challenge because the European Union sees the single market as one of goods, services, capital and people. These things go together, where in Britain we see them as separate options."

Asked if he now regretted calling the historic referendum, a sombre-faced Mr Cameron said: "It's a sad night for me - I didn't want to be in this position. I wanted Britain to stay in a reformed European Union.

"At the end of the day I'm a democrat. I fought very hard for what I believed in. I didn't stand back. I threw myself in head, heart and soul to keep Britain in the European Union and I didn't succeed."

A government source said Mr Cameron's message to EU leaders was that if they wanted a close economic relationship with the UK after Brexit, they cannot "shy away" from the migration issue.

The PM told the House of Commons on Monday that there was "a very strong case" for trying to remain in the single market after Brexit. And Chancellor George Osborne backed his position, telling a business conference in London that Britain should seek "the closest possible ties" with its former EU partners on trade.

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