British PM loses parliamentary vote on EU budget

British Prime Minister David Cameron suffered a major defeat in a parliamentary vote Wednesday, after rebels in his Conservative Party ganged up with the opposition Labour Party to press for a cut in the EU budget.

The motion was passed with 307 votes for and 294 votes against, and signalled the biggest setback since the Conservative-Liberal coalition government came to power in May 2010, Xinhua reported.

Some 53 Conservative MPs backed a motion demanding Cameron to request a cut in the EU's 2014-20 budget when the EU leaders meet in Brussels next month.

Cameron had sought to rally Conservative loyalists, telling the House of Commons that "this government is taking the toughest line in these budget negotiations of any government since we joined the European Union".

The British prime minister said he would veto any real terms rise in 2014-20 financial framework.