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Nick Clegg takes swipe at Tories over EU stance Nick Clegg takes swipe at Tories over EU stance
(about 3 hours later)
For months Nick Clegg has been itching to take aim at what he regards as the Conservatives' dangerous approach to the European Union, which could set Britain on the path to an ignominious exit. For months, Nick Clegg has been itching to take aim at what he regards as the Conservatives' dangerous approach to the EU, which could set Britain on the path to an ignominious exit.
The final straw came two weeks ago when Michael Gove let it be known he was prepared to see Britain leave the EU if European leaders refused to grant a series of concessions to Britain. The final straw came two weeks ago when Michael Gove let it be known that he was prepared to see Britain leave the union if European leaders refused to grant a series of concessions to Britain.
The deputy prime minister was enraged when the education secretary, one of David Cameron's closest cabinet allies, told the Mail on Sunday on 14 October: "Give us back our sovereignty or we will walk out."The deputy prime minister was enraged when the education secretary, one of David Cameron's closest cabinet allies, told the Mail on Sunday on 14 October: "Give us back our sovereignty or we will walk out."
Clegg's mood was not improved on that Sunday morning when Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 that Gove was "reflecting" the thoughts of many Tories. Clegg's mood was not improved on that Sunday morning when Philip Hammond, the defence secretary, told the Andrew Marr Show that Gove was reflecting the thoughts of many Tories.
Clegg, a descendant of a Russian aristocrat whose mother is Dutch, was alarmed that such views now have a place in the Tory mainstream. One Lib Dem source said: "Nick thought enough is enough after the interventions by Michael Gove and Philip Hammond. Such views once belonged on the extremes but now they are within the Tory mainstream. They are completely unrealistic – it is absurd to assume you can go to Brussels, negotiate a bag of goodies and bring them home on the Eurostar." Clegg, a descendant of a Russian aristocrat whose mother is Dutch, was alarmed that such views now have a place in the Tory mainstream. One Lib Dem source said: "Nick thought enough is enough after the interventions by Michael Gove and Philip Hammond. Such views once belonged on the extremes but are now within the Tory mainstream. They are completely unrealistic – it is absurd to assume you can go to Brussels, negotiate a bag of goodies and bring them home on the Eurostar."
The deputy prime minister struck in the grand surroundings of Chatham House on Thursday morning when he warned that a "grand unilateral repatriation of powers ... is a false promise wrapped in a union jack". Clegg cast himself as a passionate believer in reforming the EU but said that by "stamping" their feet the Tories could trigger "an outright crisis" which could see Britain leave the EU. The deputy prime minister struck in the grand surroundings of Chatham House on Thursday when he warned that a "grand unilateral repatriation of powers … is a false promise wrapped in a union jack". Clegg cast himself as a passionate believer in reforming the EU but said that by "stamping" their feet the Tories could trigger "an outright crisis" which could see Britain leave the EU.
The timing of Clegg's speech appeared to break one of the golden rules of a government "grid" – the long-term timetable for announcements – which says that ministers should not send out mixed messages. Clegg turned on the Tories less than 24 hours after Liberal Democrats and their coalition forces denounced the Labour party when it joined forces with Tory eurosceptics to defeat the government on the EU budget. The timing of Clegg's speech appeared to break one of the golden rules of a government "grid" – the timetable for announcements – which says that ministers should not send out mixed messages. Clegg turned on the Tories less than 24 hours after Lib Dems and their coalition forces denounced Labour when it united with Tory Eurosceptics to defeat the government on the EU budget.
The Lib Dems believe that Clegg has ended up entirely fortuitously – the timing of the speech was an accident – in the perfect place.The Lib Dems believe that Clegg has ended up entirely fortuitously – the timing of the speech was an accident – in the perfect place.
"Nick really has emerged as the only reasonable voice on Europe," one ally said. "The Tories seem to want to spark a war with Brussels over the repatriation of powers and Labour is playing crude politics on the budget. There are probably only three people who can make a sensible case for Europe. Nick, Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair. Nick is the only one saying anything at the moment.""Nick really has emerged as the only reasonable voice on Europe," one ally said. "The Tories seem to want to spark a war with Brussels over the repatriation of powers and Labour is playing crude politics on the budget. There are probably only three people who can make a sensible case for Europe. Nick, Peter Mandelson and Tony Blair. Nick is the only one saying anything at the moment."
Blair will be speaking at an event hosted by Business for New Europe, the pro-European group that organised Clegg's speech, in London on 28 November. This will take place a week after the EU summit in Brussels which will discuss the next year's budget, the subject of the commons vote on Wednesday night. The Labour party is demanding a real terms cut in the budget while the coalition believes the best it can hope for is a real terms freeze. Blair will be speaking at an event hosted by Business for New Europe, the pro-European group that organised Clegg's speech, in London on 28 November. That will take place a week after the EU summit in Brussels, which will discuss the next year's budget, the subject of the Commons vote on Wednesday night. The Labour party is demanding a real-terms cut in the budget, while the coalition believes the best it can hope for is a real-terms freeze.
In a speech in Berlin on Monday, the former prime minister indicated that he shared some of Clegg's concerns over the wider shaping of the EU when he called on the government "not to play short-term politics" if the Lisbon treaty was revised to strengthen eurozone governance arrangements. Cameron believes this is the point when Britain, which would have a veto in the treaty negotiations, could demand the repatriation of some powers. In a speech in Berlin on Monday, Blair indicated that he shared some of Clegg's concerns over the wider shaping of the EU when he called on the government "not to play short-term politics" if the Lisbon treaty was revised to strengthen eurozone governance arrangements. Cameron believes this is the point when Britain, which would have a veto in the treaty negotiations, could demand the repatriation of some powers.
In his next speech in London, Blair is facing pressure from some of his allies to express unease at the tactics of the Labour leadership over the EU budget. There are concerns that Ed Balls is embarking on a short-term tactical raid against the government on the EU without thinking through the consequences.In his next speech in London, Blair is facing pressure from some of his allies to express unease at the tactics of the Labour leadership over the EU budget. There are concerns that Ed Balls is embarking on a short-term tactical raid against the government on the EU without thinking through the consequences.
Some members of the shadow cabinet are concerned that Labour may have to embark on an embarrassing retreat when MPs are asked to vote on an eventual EU budget deal. "Is the Labour party really going to block the entire EU budget?" one senior figure asked.Some members of the shadow cabinet are concerned that Labour may have to embark on an embarrassing retreat when MPs are asked to vote on an eventual EU budget deal. "Is the Labour party really going to block the entire EU budget?" one senior figure asked.
Clegg believes he is staking out the middle ground on Europe, in the same way that Blair did in office. The Tories believe he is welcome to stake out a pro-European position as Britain appears to move in a distinctly pro-European direction. Clegg believes he is staking out the middle ground on Europe, as Blair did in office. The Tories believe he is welcome to stake out a pro-European position as Britain appears to move in a distinctly Eurosceptic direction.
One Labour figure believes the coalition parties are wrong to be adopting such clear stances. "How can anyone be so sure when we don't know what form the EU will take as it changes shape during the eurozone crisis," the shadow minister asked. One Labour figure believes the coalition parties are wrong to adopt such clear stances. "How can anyone be so sure when we don't know what form the EU will take as it changes shape during the eurozone crisis," the shadow minister asked.