NI Timeline

In a speech at Bloomberg, Prime Minister David Cameron discusses the future of the European Union and declares he is in favour of an in-out referendum in the future on the basis of a new settlement that he intends to negotiate for the UK in the EU.

David Cameron wins the election and gains a small working majority. Before this any in-out referendum would have to have been agreed by the coalition partners.

Meeting of the European Council. Here, the Prime Minister sets out his plans for an in-out referendum. It is the first step in the negotiation process and the European Council agrees to return to the issue in December.

David Cameron delivers a speech on Europe to Chatham House, setting out the case for EU reform and reaffirming his commitment to an EU referendum before the end of 2017.

The European Union Referendum Act receives Royal Assent. This provides for the holding of a referendum in the UK and Gibraltar on whether the UK should remain a member of the EU.

Following the meeting of the European Council, David Cameron gives a statement outlining the results of his negotiations to secure a deal giving the UK some special conditions in the EU. Including, along with some limitations on the social security and tax credit rights of EU citizens arriving in the UK, Britain never adopting the euro and - in Cameron’s words - never being part of a ‘European superstate’.