Ex-British foreign minister warns against EU exit

LONDON

Britain’s exit from the EU may lead to the “destruction” of the international status quo, former British foreign secretary David Miliband warned Tuesday.

Speaking at an event organized by Britain Stronger in Europe, a pro-EU organization, he said: “The character of our country, our place in the world, as well as our material wealth are on the ballot paper and those of us arguing for Britain to remain in the EU must not cede passion or patriotism to the other side.”

The U.K. will hold a referendum on June 23 on whether to stay in the EU or leave.

Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, said the question voters should ask was “whether we want to shore up the international order or contribute to its dilution and perhaps even destruction.”

He added: "As foreign secretary, I saw Britain’s interaction with the rest of the world close up through a British prism. Now I can see Britain through an international lens. Distance lends perspective, and that is what I want to offer today.”

Miliband said EU membership made Britain more influential in dealing with Russia and China and that the U.K.’s permanent seat on the UN Security Council was not guaranteed.

“Our status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, for example, has its roots in post-war history,” he said. “But its current status, and its future, depends not on history but on delivery and contribution. We cannot claim our seat because of our size. We can claim it because of our contribution to global order.”