EPP leaders threaten Cameron

William Hague's decision to delay exit from the EPP is looking more and more hi-risk.  ConservativeHome feared that delay would encourage opponents of Mr Cameron's campaign pledge to dig themselves into increasingly entrenched opposition.  The clearest sign that that is happening comes with today's news that key European leaders are threatening to turn their backs on Mr Cameron if he does pull his MEPs out of the European Peoples' Party.

Today's Times reports the following:

"The Tory leader has been told that senior figures such as Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister, are threatening to cut bilateral relations.  In all 11 leaders of right-wing governments and parties have said that they will refuse to work with Mr Cameron if he withdraws Tory MEPs from the European People’s Party grouping in the European Parliament. The list includes Nicolas Sarkozy, the French Interior Minister and likely presidential candidate, and Mariano Rasjoy, the head of the opposition Spanish Popular Party."

The bullying reaction of the European leaders is, of course, childishly unacceptable but Mr Cameron must act quickly if other federalist forces are to be prevented from organising against his EPP pledge.

Comments

[Rob Largan]

Cameron has to act fast, failure on this one key pledge would be extremely damaging for his leadership, not to mention bad for EU policy.

[R UK]

Many have held up their support for Cmaeron through gritted teeth - such as Norman Tebbit. As far as I am concerned, a climbdown on the EPP is the end of the Cameron story - and disloyalty will resume.

[James M]

So are these figures saying that if the Conservatives pulled out of the EEP they would never talk to us?

Does this mean if Cameron becomes Prime Minister, Britain will be isolated from Europe.

Somehow I am not convinced it will.

[Mark Fulford]

This is playing into Cameron's hands. It gives him a good public fight to demonstrate his resolve against foreign bullying tactics. And in the likely event that Cameron becomes PM, there's no way that these leaders can afford not to talk to him.

[Edward]

He doesn't have to act fast at all. He has to act decisive and always stick to his word. The longer it draws out the even more boring it seems and the more it seems the party is changing...

[malcolm]

I would agree with you Mark.A heaven sent opportunity for Cameron to stand up to these European bullies.Hopefully they will be as nasty as possible to us and then we will be able to reap the rewards electorally.
R UK, are you really that much of a fairweather friend? You have in recent weeks posted several times supporting Camerons strategy.Weren't those sentiments genuine?

[Fred Hansen]

I aggree with most of these statements the tenor being what has David Camneron to loose. These other European right wing leaders are either weak (Merkel) have failed (Berlusconi) or have much more to gain from us than we have from them (Sarko), so I think it's a first and golden opportunity for Caneron to own up to his words, others should follow.

[Chris Palmer]

Time will tell.

[Tory T]

Reading between the lines, it's obvious that the EPP big wigs in the European Parliament are furious that they could lose a lot of status and money if the Tory MEPs walk out of the group. So they've persuaded the leaders of the main right wing parties on the continent to apply a bit of pressure.

When Cameron goes ahead and carries out his election promise I will bet a huge sum of money that Sarkozy, Merkel etc will carry on relations with him. They are just making a gesture to keep their frantic MEPs happy.

Franly, it's great to see these parasites squirm.

[William Norton]

Excellent. What we now want is for M Sarkozy to go on a 'goodwill' tour to the Lib Dem conference to greet their new leader, preferably in French....

[Richard Bailey]

Attack is best form of defence.

Pull out now, and go on the war path. Accuse each of them of something that hurts and stand up for what we and the country believes in.
Now is not the time to worry about them, it is the time to look after your own.
There's plenty of time to mend European fences later.

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

Whilst I agree with EPP withdrawal in principle, this news has confirmed my fears about the practicality of such a move. I'm not sure alienating the likes of Merkel and Sarkozy over such a minor issue is wise.

[malcolm]

Why not Daniel?Why should these people have any influence at all over British policy?

[Sam Coates]

Typo by the Times there - the leader of the PP in Spain is Mariano Rajoy(pronounced Rackoi).

[Daniel Vince-Archer]

"Why not Daniel?Why should these people have any influence at all over British policy?"

They shouldn't. But if/when David Cameron were to become Prime Minister, both Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy are people with considerable influence on the European stage who we should be looking to keep on-side as much as possible, rather than embarking on an ultimately meaningless exercise (in terms of the bigger picture) merely as a sop gesture to appease the likes of Roger Helmer.

[Patsy Sergeant]

'Attack is the best form of defence.'

Absolutely! I agree with everything that Richard Bailey says. People who fear the consequences of certain European leaders not talking to us, forget how much financially, we contribute to Europe, they are still going to want to get their hands on that.

[malcolm]

I'm afraid I disagree with you completely.The EPP issue is in the great scheme of things quite minor but I do remember that one of John Majors greatest mistakes was talking tough and then being weak.Cameron has said our MEPs will be leaving the EPP come hell or high water that is what will have to happen otherwise he won't be taken seriously by our European allies(?!)as Major wasn't.
Equally I'm not at all convinced that having the goodwill of people like Sarkozy,Berlusconi(!)and Merkel is worth having for this country anyway.

[Goldie]

This whole discussion is really ridiculous. It's a total non-issue.

The European Parliament is irrelevant. Of course the Tories shouldn't sit with the Europhiles of the EPP, but let them get on with it.

Problem is that there are hardly any partners apart from the Czech conservatives. So be it.

But let's move on, this issue is boring and stupid.

[EU Serf]

This issue is actually a lot more important than most of you believe. Euroscepticism has a bad name elsewhere in Europe, as it is seen to be connected to far right parties. This is one of the reasons for the steamroller that is ever closer union.

If we get out and set up a proper centre right eurosceptic party, we have the power to change the whole level of discussion in Europe.

The alternative is that everything will contnue as before, with us being sucked ever further into the whirlpool, whilst our Conservative MEPs are powerless to even say anything against it.

[Richard]

"Euroscepticism has a bad name elsewhere in Europe, as it is seen to be connected to far right parties."

The emphasis should be centred around democracy. Why should elected or unelected politicians of a foreign country have a say over laws that influence this country? If this country doesn't want a 48 hour week, why should we have to have one?

Start making the case for a European Free Trade Area - the far right don't approve of free trade and it will therefore be harder for them to hijack it.

There should also be more emphasis on abolishing the common external tariff. If Europe accepts that trade is a good thing, why have a common external tariff? Why deny consumers the opportunity to buy cheaper foreign goods?

Freedom to buy foreign products and the right to vote for national legislation - I don't see how anybody can oppose those without opposing freedom and democracy.

[R UK]

Malcolm - I'm a politician not a friend!!!

If cameron caves in Blair-style, we have no leader. I will only follow a leader I can respect. If cameron shows no fight when the pressure moves in on him, we're finished. I will fight to support a good leader any time. this is cameron's crunch moment. I fear he will flunk it.

Friendship? - not relevant.

[malcolm]

I'm rather sad about that R UK.You had recently posted some quite persuasive statements in support of Cameron.Obviously they were not genuine.
Like you I want to withdraw from the EPP (more importantly I would wish that we can change our whole relationship with the EU)and as far as I'm aware Cameron & Hague will deliver this.
But far far more important is delivering a Conservative government in Westminster and this won't happen if there is consistent attacks on the leadership.
I didn't initially support Cameron for the leadership but now he has won I will do everything I can to try and ensure he wins the next election.Something far more worthwhile than fighting over which bunch of nobodies our MEPs sit with.

[R UK]

If we're going to be desptached to oblivion inside the EU totalitarian state, then we might as well be despatched by Blair who claims he wishes to achieve such an aim, as by Cameron who claimed that he did not. The EPP is totemic yes, but also critical to strategy.

Inside the EPP we have no European voice. Outside it we can express our views independently, and Europe just might achieve the right basis for future progress.

Cameron has to fight out of the EPP or he and we are nothing.

[Margaret]

Roger Helmer is one of the best MEPs the Conservatives have got. He has stuck to his principles despite being thrown out of the EPP. He is able to vote with his conscience, despite being threatened by Hans-Gert Pöttering.

The sooner all Conservative MEPs (except those of course who are hell-bent on supporting a EU Superstate) were out of the EPP.