Barack Obama visit: UK more effective at fighting terror inside EU

  President Obama has been forthright about Britain's role in the EU

The UK's ability to fight terrorism will be "more effective" if it sticks together with its European allies, US President Barack Obama has said.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Obama said being in the EU magnified Britain's influence across the world.

The president arrived for a three-day visit of the UK late on Thursday.

But writing in the Sun, Vote Leave's Boris Johnson said President Obama's view was "a breathtaking example of the principle do-as-I-say-but-not-as-I-do".

Before meeting Prime Minister David Cameron for talks later, the president and First Lady Michelle Obama will attend a private lunch with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle - the day after the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will welcome the Obamas for dinner at Kensington Palace on Friday evening.
'Silent testament'

The president's intervention in the UK's forthcoming EU referendum on 23 June has been hotly debated and sparked claims of "hypocrisy" from those who want to leave the EU. They claim the US "would never contemplate anything like the EU for itself".

In his newspaper piece President Obama recognised that ultimately the matter was for British voters to decide for themselves.

But he also said: "The outcome of your decision is a matter of deep interest to the United States.

"The tens of thousands of Americans who rest in Europe's cemeteries are a silent testament to just how intertwined our prosperity and security truly are."

In response, Mr Cameron tweeted: "The US is one of our closest allies. So it's important to hear Barack Obama on why we should remain in the EU."
EU referendum: In depth Image copyright Reuters

BBC North America editor John Sopel said the president had not needed to make his intervention and could have been much more nuanced.

"That he has is a mark of the profound concern felt in Washington about the implications of a British departure from the EU," he said.

However, BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said a Brexit-supporting cabinet minister had stressed that Obama's view "was not the settled view in the USA. The Republicans don't agree and there is disquiet at his blatant meddling in UK politics".

The minister had suggested Ted Cruz supported Brexit, she added.
'Stick together'

In his article, Mr Obama said that the US's relationship with the UK had been "forged as we spilt blood together on the battlefield".

He went on to say the UK had benefitted from being inside the EU in terms of jobs, trade and financial growth, and that it "magnifies" the UK's global influence.

"This kind of co-operation - from intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism to forging agreements to create jobs and economic growth - will be far more effective if it extends across Europe. Now is a time for friends and allies to stick together," he wrote. Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Obama wants the UK to remain in the EU

James Rubin, US secretary of state from 1997 to 2000, told BBC Breakfast the president had not offered any words of reassurance about Britain's future relationship with the US if it left the EU because "it won't be OK".

"We have a phrase in America: 'Friends don't let friends drive drunk,'" he said, adding that it would be "a big mistake for Britain to leave the EU and set asunder what has been a very successful relationship".
'No circumstances'

But Boris Johnson described Mr Obama's argument as "inconsistent" and "downright hypocritical".

"The Americans would never contemplate anything like the EU for themselves or for their neighbours in their own hemisphere. Why should they think it right for us?"

And Mr Johnson described the notion that the UK had more influence inside the EU than outside as "nonsense".

"The UK has been outvoted 40 times in Brussels in the last five years, and the total bill for those defeats - in extra costs for UK government and business - is put at £2.4bn a year," Mr Johnson wrote. Image copyright AP Image caption President Obama arrived at Winfield House, the US ambassador's residence in London, on helicopter Marine One

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith, who is also part of the Vote Leave campaign, accused Mr Obama of double standards.

"I can imagine no circumstances under which he would lobby for the US Supreme Court to be bound by the judgements of a foreign court," he said.

"Nor can I imagine any circumstances in which he would accept that laws should be made for ­- or taxes imposed on­ - the people of the United States without the approval of Congress."

Mr Obama's UK stay is part of a tour taking in Germany and Saudi Arabia, which he left on Thursday after having discussions with King Salman on issues including Iran, Syria, Yemen and the fight against so-called Islamic State militants.