Euro rebellion threatens to engulf Cameron

By David Maddox
Published on Friday 9 December 2011 00:00

THE authority of Prime Minister David Cameron among Tory MPs appeared to be under threat last night, as he arrived in Brussels leaving a full-scale rebellion over Britain’s future place in the European Union.

The Prime Minister came to the summit with “24 hours to save the euro”, insisting he would “defend British interests”, but with fury back at home over his refusal to countenance a referendum on treaty changes or name what powers he intends to demand back as a price for supporting the euro.

Senior Tory back-bencher Edward Leigh even compared Mr Cameron to former prime minister Neville Chamberlain, who infamously appeased Hitler.

But with other EU leaders making it clear that they want to discuss saving the euro and not the intricacies of other powers, Mr Cameron appeared to have his hands tied on what he can get out of the conference.

Sources close to French president Nicolas Sarkozy were also reportedly briefing that Mr Cameron needs to make up his mind whether Britain stays in the EU.

However, with pressure mounting at home, two Cabinet ministers – former leader Iain Duncan Smith and Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson – have broken ranks and demanded a referendum.

It is understood at least five other Tory ministers have told Mr Cameron they want a vote on future membership of the EU.

Meanwhile back-bench Tories, led by Mr Leigh, demanded a referendum on Britain’s relationship with the EU.

Mr Leigh told a Westminster Hall debate: “There are patriotic MPs who are prepared to speak up for the vital, national interest.

“We, by speaking up this afternoon, are actually supporting the Prime Minister in his negotiating stance, because we stand for what the British people want.”

Mr Leigh said: “We have had enough of reading of British prime ministers over the last 20 to 30 years in the days preceding a summit that ‘they will stand up for the British national interest’ and then coming back from a summit with a kind of Chamberlain-esque piece of paper saying, ‘I have negotiated very, very hard, I have got opt-outs on this and that and I have succeeded in standing up for British interests’.

“That piece of paper is not worth the paper it is written on.”

There was also rebellion among the party’s MEPs. The leader of the Tory MEPs, Martin Callanan, last night joined the chorus calling for a referendum.

He said: “If there is any treaty change which creates European fiscal union, then clearly that will radically affect the UK and should be put to a referendum.

“That is what democracy demands, because we would be creating a fundamental change to the EU and our relationship with it.”

He went on: “However, that could take years to complete. It might be a way to solve the next crisis – but not this one.

“That is why the focus should be on measures to address the issues at the heart of this crisis.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the dilemma faced by Mr Cameron, stuck in a deal with strongly pro-EU Lib Dems, while his own party is eurosceptic, showed how “incredibly weak” he was.

Mr Miliband described the summit as “one of the most important summits in a generation” – but said Mr Cameron seemed “incredibly weak because he’s leading a divided government and a divided party”.

Speaking during a visit to Tioga, a contract electronic manufacturer in Derby, he said: “I think the problem is that the Prime Minister looks more isolated and lacking in influence than a prime minister has looked for a long, long time in a European summit – and frankly that’s because of the way he’s handled it.”

Mr Miliband went on: “First of all, saying it was nothing to do with him; then saying he was going to bring back powers to Britain and use treaty change to win back powers from Brussels; then conceding that wasn’t going to happen; then threatening a veto and, frankly, I think, most of his European partners seem to be shrugging their shoulders and saying: ‘Well, look, he’s not interested in positively engaging to get a good outcome here. He’s interested in just shouting.”