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United Kingdom

A month before UK election, Tony Blair enters fray of campaign

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By Seamus Kearney
A month before UK election, Tony Blair enters fray of campaign

Entering the fray of Britain’s election campaign, Tony Blair has declared his support for Labour leader Ed Miliband.

I believe passionately that leaving Europe would leave Britain diminished in the world

Ahead of the ballot on May the 7th, the former Labour prime minister also pleaded for Britain to stay in the European Union.

“I believe passionately that leaving Europe would leave Britain diminished in the world,” he said.

“(It would also) do significant damage to our economy, and – less obviously, but just as important to our future – would go against the very qualities that mark us out still as a great global nation.”

But Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron rejected the criticism, saying Britons themselves have a right to decide.

“Tony Blair says don’t trust the people, I say wrong. We should trust the people. We’re going to renegotiate our relationship with Europe and then there’ll be an in-out referendum by the end of 2017. That’s the right thing for Britain.”

The country’s economic direction and EU-membership are seen as among the biggest issues in this campaign.

Cameron’s Conservatives are neck and neck with Labour in most opinion polls.