Britain’s future relationship with the EU was under intense scrutiny yesterday in the wake of David Cameron’s dramatic decision to veto treaty changes designed to save the euro.
Membership of the EU is good for us- Cameron
The consequences of the move are still being digested but the Prime Minister is under mounting pressure from heartened Tory backbenchers to entirely renegotiate the UK’s membership of the EU.
The fallout from the momentous European Council in Brussels looks set to impose further strain on the already-tense coalition between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats at Westminster.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was among senior Lib Dems who rejected talk of a rift, insisting that the coalition was “united” on Mr Cameron’s demands for “modest and reasonable” safeguards to protect British interests.
“I think any eurosceptic who might be rubbing their hands in glee about the outcome of the summit last night should be careful what they wish for, because clearly there is potentially an increased risk of a two-speed Europe in which Britain’s position becomes more marginalised, and in the long-run that would be bad for growth and jobs in this country.” he warned.
But there was dismay elsewhere in the party, with Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies accusing the Prime Minister of “betraying Britain” and senior peer Lord Oakeshott describing it as “a black day for Britain and Europe”.
Mr Cameron insisted that he had followed a “combined position” agreed by Tories and Lib Dems and “cleared absolutely between me and Nick Clegg”.
Britain was left isolated after all the other 26 EU states at a Brussels summit indicated they will now sign up to a separate agreement to impose new fiscal discipline on the eurozone.
The Prime Minister’s veto was welcomed by jubilant Conservative eurosceptics as a first step towards looser UK relations with the EU, or even withdrawal. One Tory MP hailed him for showing the “bulldog spirit”.
Speaking in Brussels at the end of the dramatic two-day summit, Mr Cameron said: “Of course this does represent a change in our relationship. But the core of the relationship – the single market, the trade and the investment, the growth, the jobs that we want to see – that remains as it was.”
And he poured cold water on the idea that his defiance paves the way for British withdrawal or a referendum on EU membership.
“Membership is in our interests and I’ve always said if that’s the case I’ll support our membership,” said the Prime Minister.
“Membership of the European Union is good for us.”