( CNN ) -- David Cameron 's announcement that the UK will hold a referendum on European Union membership if his party wins another election has sparked strong reaction from CNN commenters on what the move could mean for Britain and Europe . Cameron , who gave his remarks in a speech in London on Wednesday , said `` difficult questions '' needed to be asked about Britain 's membership in the EU , otherwise British people could `` drift towards the exit '' as Europe fails . He also asserted the British people 's right to a choice about whether to remain in the EU on the basis of a renegotiated settlement , or to leave . Some praised Cameron for a bold move that they argued protected UK interests and reasserted the nation 's power . `` No member state should agree to be part of the European Union if it considers the terms and long term prospects to not be in its favor , why should it ? '' argued TomJT . `` [ He ] is fighting for what the UK needs and sees the value in being part of a strong Europe , but ultimately [ also ] the impact of losing control of the Stock Exchange and being subject to the voting whims of countries that do n't understand the island economy . '' Commenter SwissSteve agreed , saying he saw `` a lot of sense and potential leadership in Cameron 's speech '' . `` The EU needs changes and if it changes for the worse ( which is possible with the current level of democratic accountability ) , then the UK should , and will , waste no time in changing direction , '' he said . But others decried the decision as a bluff , or a move to pander to more skeptical elements in Cameron 's own country -- and party -- and questioned whether the move was part of a genuine desire for change in the Union . `` This is a statement of populist politics and fear of losing his chair . They will never leave the EU , '' said commenter Ss . Can the Eurozone recover in 2013 . Some also felt that the move was unfair for other nation members of the Union . `` I am not opposed to change in the EU , but this change can not be dictated by the UK ( or any other single state for that matter ) , '' said commenter Chri Sto . `` It has to come via a democratic process in which all member states are able to represent their individual standpoints . Threatening to leave the EU in case they do not conform with your ideas ... is not the way . '' The `` Europe question '' has long dominated UK politics and proved a constant headache for successive UK prime ministers . Cameron has also faced heavy pressure in recent months from some members of his own party to hold a referendum on EU membership . But political rivals , and other factions within his own party , fear that the move could prove poor timing as the country struggles to emerge from its financial troubles . Commenter maxb500 echoed these concerns , describing the move as `` laughable at best '' and potentially catastrophic for the UK 's slumping economy . `` You wonder why Cameron thinks he can single handily direct the whole EU what direction to take , while always giving insult after insult after insult about its existence , the Euro currency and much more . '' Europe 's decade of boom and bust . Other commenters were even more cynical . `` Typical English whining and bluffing , '' scoffed commenter Rikardo_35 . `` They think they play at poker ? Game over . '' While Rikardo_35 dismissed Cameron 's move as pure politicking , others wondered whether instability would be the result of any decision to leave the union . disqus_Wuqf7D1NNP , a British national living in Germany , said questions had to be asked about what Cameron was `` offering for sustainability in the way of moving forward '' , and feared the result of any economic uncertainty . `` If the economy dives , the violence we saw in the riots in the cities just recently in England will be ten fold in comparison to the fall out which could follow , '' said . `` Add that to the cuts in policing [ and ] you have a major recipe for disaster . '' Cameron used his speech to talk of an `` updated '' union , which he envisioned as flexible , adaptable , open and `` fit for the challenges of the modern age '' . His remarks echoed those of some commenters , who argued , as commenter GaÃ « l Christophe Mockelyn did , that the real problem could be the EU itself . `` The problem with the European Union is that they want to become the new United States , but they ca n't understand it would be never that way , because we are too different from each other , '' he wrote . `` The EU is a patchwork , a forced patchwork of different people , different cultures and different ways of thinking . How can you hope to harmonize it ? '' Commenter Badrobot was even harsher in assessment , asking whether the institution itself , which won the 2012 Nobel peace prize , was rapidly falling into obsolescence . `` The European Union is a project , i.e . a colony of France . Sooner or later it will fall apart , '' he said .
English PM had said 'difficult questions ' needed to be asked about England 's Cameron membership . The ' Europe question ' has long dominated British politics and proved challenging for successive British leaders . Commenters had diverse reactions to EU 's move , from praise to ridicule .