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| Eurosceptics open to compromise over reforms, says senior Tory | Eurosceptics open to compromise over reforms, says senior Tory |
| (8 days later) | |
| A leading Conservative MP said Eurosceptics in the party were willing to compromise over their demands for European Union reform as David Cameron flew to Berlin to discuss them with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. | A leading Conservative MP said Eurosceptics in the party were willing to compromise over their demands for European Union reform as David Cameron flew to Berlin to discuss them with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. |
| Andrea Leadsom, the MP who heads the Fresh Start Group, which has drawn up a detailed manifesto for the repatriation of powers to the UK, said that there was no one in the party who wanted Cameron to "lay down the law" to Britain's EU partners and that compromise was essential. | Andrea Leadsom, the MP who heads the Fresh Start Group, which has drawn up a detailed manifesto for the repatriation of powers to the UK, said that there was no one in the party who wanted Cameron to "lay down the law" to Britain's EU partners and that compromise was essential. |
| Cameron has also been adopting a conciliatory, rather than a confrontational tone, stressing that the proposals he set out in his Bloomberg speech on Britain and Europe in January are for the benefit of the EU as a whole, and not just to appease the demands of British Eurosceptics. | Cameron has also been adopting a conciliatory, rather than a confrontational tone, stressing that the proposals he set out in his Bloomberg speech on Britain and Europe in January are for the benefit of the EU as a whole, and not just to appease the demands of British Eurosceptics. |
| Cameron flew to Berlin with his wife Samantha and their three children after Merkel, in an unusual move intended to show the warmth of her relationship with the PM, invited his entire family to stay. | Cameron flew to Berlin with his wife Samantha and their three children after Merkel, in an unusual move intended to show the warmth of her relationship with the PM, invited his entire family to stay. |
| Merkel's husband, Joachim Sauer, was also due to attend the gathering at Meseberg, outside Berlin – the German equivalent of the prime minister's country residence, Chequers. | Merkel's husband, Joachim Sauer, was also due to attend the gathering at Meseberg, outside Berlin – the German equivalent of the prime minister's country residence, Chequers. |
| The two leaders were due to attend an informal dinner on Friday night, followed by more formal talks on Saturday covering EU reform, the eurozone, Syria and the agenda for this summer's G8 summit. | The two leaders were due to attend an informal dinner on Friday night, followed by more formal talks on Saturday covering EU reform, the eurozone, Syria and the agenda for this summer's G8 summit. |
| In his Bloomberg speech, Cameron committed himself to change Britain's relationship with the EU if he wins the 2015 election and then hold an in/out referendum by the end of 2017 at the latest. | In his Bloomberg speech, Cameron committed himself to change Britain's relationship with the EU if he wins the 2015 election and then hold an in/out referendum by the end of 2017 at the latest. |
| His call for powers to be repatriated to London got a frosty reception across much of Europe and, with Cameron holding open the possibility of recommending a no vote in the referendum in the event of his failure to secure a satisfactory renegotiation, Labour described the speech as the first step in a process that could lead to Britain leaving the EU. | His call for powers to be repatriated to London got a frosty reception across much of Europe and, with Cameron holding open the possibility of recommending a no vote in the referendum in the event of his failure to secure a satisfactory renegotiation, Labour described the speech as the first step in a process that could lead to Britain leaving the EU. |
| But now Cameron is trying to cast himself as the architect of pan-European reform. In a joint interview with European newspapers earlier in the week, he said his proposals were a benefit to the EU as a whole. "What I want to do is achieve a reform of the European Union," he said. | But now Cameron is trying to cast himself as the architect of pan-European reform. In a joint interview with European newspapers earlier in the week, he said his proposals were a benefit to the EU as a whole. "What I want to do is achieve a reform of the European Union," he said. |
| "We're in a global race where we have to compete with [countries such as] India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. We need a Europe that is more open, that is more competitive, that is more flexible, that thinks more about the cost that it's putting on businesses, particularly small businesses. We want a world that wakes up to this modern world of competition and flexibility.That is the aim." | "We're in a global race where we have to compete with [countries such as] India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia. We need a Europe that is more open, that is more competitive, that is more flexible, that thinks more about the cost that it's putting on businesses, particularly small businesses. We want a world that wakes up to this modern world of competition and flexibility.That is the aim." |
| Leadsom, who was been canvassing support in other EU states for the Fresh Start proposals, said on Friday that Tory Eurosceptics accepted that compromise would be necessary as talks about the future of Europe get underway. | Leadsom, who was been canvassing support in other EU states for the Fresh Start proposals, said on Friday that Tory Eurosceptics accepted that compromise would be necessary as talks about the future of Europe get underway. |
| "I don't think anybody on the backbenches or the frontbenches of any party thinks laying down the law is at all possible or plausible or desirable," she told the Today programme. "So, compromise is of course the way you do anything." | "I don't think anybody on the backbenches or the frontbenches of any party thinks laying down the law is at all possible or plausible or desirable," she told the Today programme. "So, compromise is of course the way you do anything." |
| She also insisted that there was more support for the Tory reform agenda than people realised. "I've had some very good meetings with ambassadors from EU member states who are actually very interested in some of the proposals the Fresh Start project have put forward, and who are definitely very keen," she said. | She also insisted that there was more support for the Tory reform agenda than people realised. "I've had some very good meetings with ambassadors from EU member states who are actually very interested in some of the proposals the Fresh Start project have put forward, and who are definitely very keen," she said. |
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