Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted that the UK is "an open nation" while making his final push for a reformed European Union during a major speech in Hamburg.

Mr Cameron, who was giving his last speech before crunch EU talks next week, told the gathering that Britain will not "pull up the drawbridge and retreat from the world" and his aim is "to keep Britain inside a reformed European Union".

But he insisted that the EU needed to change.

Mr Cameron called on Germany to work with the UK to reform Europe in a way that can "deliver prosperity and security for us all."

Before Mr Cameron gave his speech, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel also addressed the St Matthew's day banquet.

She said that she would like the UK "to remain an active member of a successful European Union."

In relation to upcoming talks on reform, Ms Merkel joked that she did not know how much sleep she would get between Thursday and Friday next week.

She said: "Europe needs Britain - Britain may well need Europe, but again, the citizens of Britain will deal with that."