Euro backlash hits David Cameron as MEPs quit

Published on Thursday 5 November 2009 21:27

CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron was yesterday hit by a backlash over his pledge to regain powers from Europe while ditching his promise to hold a referendum.

France's foreign minister warned the move would isolate Britain. Two Tory MEPs have now quit their frontbench roles.

Pierre Lellouche, France's minister for European affairs, launched an extraordinary attack on the Tory leader's promise to try to renegotiate European treaties.

He described the Tories' policy on Europe as "autistic" and "pathetic" in an interview.

"It's pathetic. It's just very sad to see Britain, so important in Europe, just cutting itself out from the rest and disappearing from the radar map.

"This is a culture of opposition. It is the result of a long period of opposition. I know they will come back, but I hope the trip will be short," he said.

Later, at a press conference, he tempered his criticism, but warned that a renegotiation of EU institutions to suit the Tories was "out of the question".

"That would require agreement from the 26 other EU members and I don't think for a single minute that will be possible," Mr Lellouche said.

The minister, who described himself as France's most anglophile minister, said: "My message is simply to say 'Please, have mercy! Spare us further institutional debates.' And I say it with great friendship towards the British people and towards Britain, which we Europeans need," he said.

"The isolation of their group means that their influence is infinitely less today than it was in the past, and as a friend of Britain, I say: 'Please do not isolate yourselves'," he said.

Mr Cameron also suffered a blow when two Tory MEPs, Daniel Hannan and Roger Helmer, quit their portfolios.

Mr Hannan said he had stepped down as Tory legal affairs spokesman in the European Parliament to concentrate on campaigning for a referendum on Europe – a pledge Mr Cameron had to drop when the treaty was ratified this week.

Mr Hannan's right-wing outbursts on subjects including the NHS have long posed a threat to Mr Cameron.

Mr Helmer said he was resigning as the party's employment spokesman in Brussels because he could "neither justify nor support" the party's new EU policy.

Yesterday, the shadow foreign secretary, William Hague, hit back at Mr Lellouche's criticisms, saying that the Conservatives would "not be put off by one emotional outburst from one minister".

MILIBAND ROLE

FOREIGN Secretary David Miliband's chances of taking on a new star role in the European Union were bolstered yesterday after diplomatic sources said he was a top contender.

Mr Miliband is being tipped as the European Union's foreign policy chief, while Italian contender Massimo D'Alema's hopes are fading because of eastern European opposition.

A summit will be held before the end of the year to agree both the foreign minister's role and the inaugral EU president.

But if Mr Miliband is given the job – which he has insisted he does not want – the chances of former prime minister Tony Blair becoming the first European Union president will be zero.

A senior EU diplomat said: "For high representative, the name of David Miliband is the most quoted name."

Mr D'Alema is a former PM and a member of the centre-left Democratic Party, but his communist past has deterred eastern European countries.