Britain's Cameron says vote win gives him mandate for "tough" EU renegotiation

Pulse Staff 09:22 - 11 May 2015

LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday that renegotiating Britain's relationship with the European Union would be tough but that his decisive election victory last week had given him a mandate.

"We have got a mandate, it will be tough obviously but we have got a mandate," Cameron told reporters before addressing a meeting of his lawmakers in parliament to loud applause and cheers.

Cameron, who won a surprise outright majority last week, has promised to renegotiate Britain's EU ties before holding an in-out EU membership referendum by the end of 2017.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan and William James; Editing by Andrew Osborn)