Cameron desperate to get EU reforms as referendum campaigns get under way in UK

London

UK PREMIER David Cameron is desperately trying to persuade German Chancellor Angela Merkel to agree to European Union (EU) reforms.

The reforms are urgent as the referendum on whether Britain remains in the EU, will take place within the next two years and the "Yes" and "No" campaigns have begun to draw their battle lines. The "in" campaign, chaired by Stuart Rose, former CEO of Marks & Spencer and a peer, has the backing of UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, three former premiers - Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and John Major - Virgin's Richard Branson and Carolyn McCall, chief executive of Easyjet.

Luminaries of the "No" camp include Nigel Lawson, former Chancellor of the Exchequer under Margaret Thatcher, Kate Hoey, former Labour sports minister and several UK entrepreneurs, outside the big business establishment. The United Kingdom Independence Party also supports the "No" campaign while Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, was recently persuaded to join the "Yes" campaign, although …