The Labour leader says while he thinks there are many things wrong with the EU, it is better to stay and try to secure reforms.
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| Corbyn Not 'Half-Hearted' Over EU |
Jeremy Corbyn has rejected claims he has not put enough effort into the campaign to keep the UK in the European Union, declaring: "There is nothing half-hearted about anything I do."
The Labour leader said that while there were many "shortcomings" with the institution, he would make the case for "Remain and Reform" in Europe in the run-up to the vote on 23 June.The speech in central London was Mr Corbyn's first big intervention in the campaign, amid claims from critics he has mostly sat out of the debate until now.
But in an address aimed at countering such concerns, he said: "The Labour Party is overwhelmingly for staying in, because we believe the European Union has brought investment, jobs and protection for workers, consumers and the environment, and offers the best chance of meeting the challenges we face in the 21st century."
Mr Corbyn acknowledged that he remains critical of the EU's lack of democratic accountability, but argued that "working together across our continent we can develop our economies, protect social and human rights, tackle climate change and clamp down on tax dodgers".
He set out a long wish list of changes, including:
:: Democratic reform to make the EU more accountable to its people
:: Economic reform to put jobs and sustainable growth at the centre of European policy
:: Labour market reform to strengthen and extend workers' rights in a real social Europe
:: New rights for governments and elected authorities to support public enterprise and halt the pressure to privatise services.
During the leadership contest last year Mr Corbyn did not rule out backing Brexit, and Labour Leave campaigner Graham Stringer believes he had "honourable and pragmatic reasons for changing his position" in order to keep the mostly pro-EU Parliamentary Labour Party together.
When asked by Sky's Sophy Ridge what had changed since then, Mr Corbyn stressed there had been a "very big" debate within the party and the trade unions.
He added: "Overwhelmingly, the Labour Party and the trade unions have come to the view that they want to campaign for a social, just Europe to protect the workers' rights that we've got, to extend them and extend that degree of justice.
"That is the position we have reached.
"That is the position that has been adopted by the party. That is the party that I lead and that is the position I am putting forward."
Mr Corbyn's speech comes as a YouGov poll in The Times newspaper suggests he is more trusted on the referendum issue than Prime Minister David Cameron.
Mr Cameron said he "absolutely welcomed" the intervention as he joined former Labour leader Lord Kinnock and ex-Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown on a visit to a Britain Stronger in Europe call centre.
But UKIP leader and Out campaigner Nigel Farage claimed Mr Corbyn was only trying to save his job, having been against the EU for decades.
He said: "Now because he fears his own parliamentary party would oust him, he's putting up a lukewarm defence of Britain's EU membership."
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