Referendum in Britain carries risk of exit from EU

DIVISIONS REMAIN in EU OVER UK

During the EU negotiations, France and Belgium strongly resisted safeguards for countries that do not use the euro. In an apparent win for them, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal would give Britain no power of veto over the eurozone.

Eastern European countries also complained of "discriminatory" proposals and violation of the principle of freedom of movement, as London sought to curb social benefits of European migrants within Britain, many of whom are from Eastern Europe.

The social benefits issue was "particularly difficult," the office of Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Friday after a meeting with Cameron.

French President Hollande said before the deal was hammered out that "no country should ignore the common rules we have established. The UK shall stay in the EU but in respect of the fundamental rules and spirit of the EU."

Anand Menon, professor of European politics at King's College London, said the referendum is going to be a "depressingly negative campaign."

Jeffrey Archer, a former British conservative lawmaker, said: "The European issue has split it from top to bottom, ever since we went in."