David Cameron to be invited to address European Parliament

David Cameron is to be invited to address the European Parliament about the UK's EU membership renegotiations.

Parliament's president Martin Schulz is to issue the invite - and report back next week with the PM's answer.

The leader of the Liberal group in the parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, said he hoped the PM would seize the chance - "there is nothing to be afraid of".

Mr Cameron wants to get changes to the UK's terms of membership before holding an in/out referendum before 2018.

Mr Verhofstadt said: "I am delighted the British prime minister will now be invited to a special session of the European Parliament.

"I hope David Cameron seizes this opportunity and will transparently outline his demands for a renegotiation of the UK's membership, in what is Europe's democratically elected chamber.

"This renegotiation is an issue not only of concern to the UK citizens, who will have a vote in a forthcoming referendum, but an issue that concerns the establishment of a new relationship between the Union and one of its members. This is of concern to all the Union's citizens."

The leader of the UK Independence Party - and Member of the European Parliament - Nigel Farage said in a tweet he was "happy" that the invitation was being issue.