“The Obama administration issued a direct challenge to David Cameron over Europe, on Wednesday when it warned of the dangers of holding a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. A senior US official questioned the merits of holding a referendum as the prime minister’s campaign to reset the terms of Britain’s EU membership also came under assault from Brussels and Dublin. With just weeks to go until Cameron delivers a landmark speech in which he is expected to promise to hold a referendum on a ‘new settlement’ for Britain in the EU, the US assistant secretary for European affairs warned that ‘referendums have often turned countries inwards’.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/09/us-warns-uk-european-union
