BRUSSELS—British Prime Minister David Cameron forged ahead at tougher-than-expected talks with European partners Friday after meetings through the night failed to make much progress on his demands for a less intrusive European Union.
It’s potentially a pivotal moment for the 28-nation bloc, which is proud of its decades of integration among once-enemy nations across Europe. At a tense summit in Brussels, Cameron and other EU leaders staked out firm positions — in part to show voters back home that their interests are being defended.
“We’ve made some progress, but there’s still no deal,” Cameron said as he returned for talks just hours after wrapping up meetings at 5:30 a.m. “We’re going to get back in there. We’re going to do some more work — and I'll do everything I can.”
Many Britons questions whether belonging to the bloc is still worth it, so Cameron is pushing for an EU reform deal that he hopes will persuade voters to back continued membership in a British referendum that could come as soon as June.
