One eye on the exit in Cameron's risky speech on EU

British Prime Minister David Cameron gives a long-awaited speech in the Netherlands tomorrow that could push his country towards the European Union's exit door and put his own position at risk.

The speech promises to be one of the most important by a British leader since the second world war, following in the footsteps of previous premiers who have gone to the continent to deliver speeches on Europe.

In Amsterdam, Cameron is expected to set out plans to renegotiate Britain's membership with the EU and then allow British voters to vote on the new terms in a referendum after the general election in 2015.

The Conservative leader has said that he wants Britain to remain in the European Union, which is Britain's biggest export partner, while wresting back some powers from Brussels. But it is a huge gamble, as a "no" vote in any referendum on new terms could precipitate a "Brexit" from the EU, with far reaching effects for the 27-nation bloc.

Cameron defended his plans on Monday, saying that a straight in-out referendum on membership would be a "false choice" and adding: "I'm confident we will get the changes that we want."

Yet the issue has become a huge headache for him as he tries to balance the demands of an increasingly eurosceptic Conservative party and British public with those of his European partners. The "Fresh Start" faction of eurosceptic Tory MPs was due yesterday to issue its own manifesto of preferred changes to the relationship with Europe, adding to the pressure on Cameron.

The premier's speech was repeatedly put back over the last six months, then suddenly brought forward from Tuesday after it emerged it would clash with ceremonies marking 50 years of post-war reconciliation between France and Germany.