PM Heckled By Anti-EU Teenage ProtestersSky News 7 mins ago
David Cameron has been heckled by two teenage students while giving a speech to business leaders on Britain's place in the EU.
The Prime Minister was challenged anti-EU campaigners as he spoke at the Confederation of Business Industry but told them: "Come on guys, if you sit down now you can ask a question rather than making fools of yourselves by protesting."
The campaigners, Phil Sheppard and Peter Lyon, who are both 19 and from Students for Britain, were protesting over the CBI support of staying in the EU and held up a banner saying "Voice of Brussels - CBI" and chanted the same slogan.
:: Should Britain Stay In EU Or Go?
Mr Cameron appeared taken aback at the interruption, unexpected among an audience largely comprised of business people, and responded curtly before the campaigners were removed.
Speaking ahead of Mr Cameron, the outgoing CBI chief John Cridland said that the organisation supported the UK inside the EU but outside "ever closer union".
Leave the EU campaigners had handed a letter to every CBI delegate asking them to email if they were unhappy with pro-EU campaign by the body.
Mr Cameron told the audience that the "status quo" was not acceptable and Britain had to renegotiate its deal with Europe.
It comes as the Prime Minister prepares to make a list of demands for reform in a letter to the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk on Tuesday.
In a keynote speech to be delivered on the same day, Mr Cameron will say: "Today, as we confront fresh threats and dangers to our country, I am in no doubt that for Britain the European question is not just a matter of economic security, but of national security too – not just a matter of jobs and trade but of the safety and security of our nation.
"I am not saying for one moment that Britain couldn't survive outside the European Union.
"Of course we could. We are a great country."
He will add: "Whether we could be successful outside the European Union is not the question.
"The question is whether we would be more successful in than out? Whether being in the European Union adds to our economic security or detracts from it?
"Whether being in the European Union makes us safer or less safe?"
This week marks the beginning of formal negotiations about Britain's relationship with the European Union ahead of an in/out referendum on its membership.
Other EU countries have previously complained about a lack of detail from Mr Cameron and asked him to put his demands down in writing.
One-on-one discussions with other EU member states and senior officials will begin a week after Tuesday's long-awaited letter to Mr Tusk.
Whitehall officials have told The Times that Mr Cameron is prepared to hold the EU referendum next June if his reform plans are met.
But Downing Street said the Prime Minister is sticking to his plans for a 2017 referendum.
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