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| PM to call 'unprecedented' vote on Juncker EU appointment | PM to call 'unprecedented' vote on Juncker EU appointment |
| (12 days later) | |
| David Cameron will call for a vote from fellow EU leaders on the next European Commission president if there is an attempt to rubber-stamp Jean-Claude Juncker in the role. | David Cameron will call for a vote from fellow EU leaders on the next European Commission president if there is an attempt to rubber-stamp Jean-Claude Juncker in the role. |
| Mr Cameron opposes the ex-Luxembourg PM, whom he sees as preventing EU reforms, and a No 10 source says he will seek a vote at a summit next week. | Mr Cameron opposes the ex-Luxembourg PM, whom he sees as preventing EU reforms, and a No 10 source says he will seek a vote at a summit next week. |
| But correspondents say it looks likely Mr Juncker will get the job. | But correspondents say it looks likely Mr Juncker will get the job. |
| Meanwhile, business leaders have warned about EU measures affecting the City. | Meanwhile, business leaders have warned about EU measures affecting the City. |
| The row over Mr Juncker hit the headlines a few weeks ago when Mr Cameron reportedly warned the UK could leave the EU if Mr Juncker became president of the European Commission - the body which drafts EU laws. | The row over Mr Juncker hit the headlines a few weeks ago when Mr Cameron reportedly warned the UK could leave the EU if Mr Juncker became president of the European Commission - the body which drafts EU laws. |
| Mr Cameron wants a delay in the process in an effort to find a consensus candidate, but if his fellow 27 EU leaders are not even willing to consider alternatives to Mr Juncker, he will call a vote and require them to set out their positions clearly. | Mr Cameron wants a delay in the process in an effort to find a consensus candidate, but if his fellow 27 EU leaders are not even willing to consider alternatives to Mr Juncker, he will call a vote and require them to set out their positions clearly. |
| "British officials have been clear... that if there was the political will to find consensus then the decision on commission president could and should be delayed," a Downing Street source said. | "British officials have been clear... that if there was the political will to find consensus then the decision on commission president could and should be delayed," a Downing Street source said. |
| "But if leaders are not even willing to consider alternative names, despite their widely expressed misgivings, then a vote should take place. | "But if leaders are not even willing to consider alternative names, despite their widely expressed misgivings, then a vote should take place. |
| "The prime minister believes it is important that each leader sets out their position clearly when such an important principle is at stake - handing power to the parliament through a back-room deal." | "The prime minister believes it is important that each leader sets out their position clearly when such an important principle is at stake - handing power to the parliament through a back-room deal." |
| 'Alternative names' | 'Alternative names' |
| Mr Cameron, who wants to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership of the EU, wants a reformer to take charge, whereas Mr Juncker is seen by some as a politician with an instinct for ever-closer European integration. | Mr Cameron, who wants to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership of the EU, wants a reformer to take charge, whereas Mr Juncker is seen by some as a politician with an instinct for ever-closer European integration. |
| The responsibility for proposing a new president lies with Mr Cameron's 27 fellow heads of government, in a grouping called the European Council. | The responsibility for proposing a new president lies with Mr Cameron's 27 fellow heads of government, in a grouping called the European Council. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker: The numbers game | Jean-Claude Juncker: The numbers game |
| But under new rules, they must now take into account the results of the recent European Parliament elections. Mr Juncker is the chosen candidate of the centre-right European People's Party, the largest bloc in the European Parliament. | |
| Downing Street believes that the European Parliament now has too much say. | Downing Street believes that the European Parliament now has too much say. |
| Mr Cameron will meet the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, on Monday in Downing Street to discuss the issue, ahead of a European summit in Brussels on Friday. | Mr Cameron will meet the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, on Monday in Downing Street to discuss the issue, ahead of a European summit in Brussels on Friday. |
| Both the Labour leader Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, have also said they do not want Mr Juncker to be the next leader of the commission. | Both the Labour leader Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, have also said they do not want Mr Juncker to be the next leader of the commission. |
| But on Saturday, Mr Juncker received the backing of nine left-wing heads of government. | But on Saturday, Mr Juncker received the backing of nine left-wing heads of government. |
| Speaking on their behalf, the President of France, Francois Hollande, said it was important to respect the spirit of the European parliament elections. | Speaking on their behalf, the President of France, Francois Hollande, said it was important to respect the spirit of the European parliament elections. |
| Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has also backed Mr Juncker's bid - after some hesitation - and he also has support from other conservative leaders. | Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has also backed Mr Juncker's bid - after some hesitation - and he also has support from other conservative leaders. |
| 'Bloody nose' | 'Bloody nose' |
| Mr Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013 and one of the architects of the euro. | Mr Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013 and one of the architects of the euro. |
| He is a strong advocate of a European "solidarity" union - an EU that strives to raise living standards in its poorest regions and sectors. | He is a strong advocate of a European "solidarity" union - an EU that strives to raise living standards in its poorest regions and sectors. |
| Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, criticised Mr Cameron's opposition to Mr Juncker on the BBC's Andrew Marr show. | Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, criticised Mr Cameron's opposition to Mr Juncker on the BBC's Andrew Marr show. |
| He said the European Parliament's main parties had announced their candidates in advance. | He said the European Parliament's main parties had announced their candidates in advance. |
| Had the Conservatives been part of the European People's Party (EPP), Mr Sikorski said, Mr Cameron could have made his anti-Juncker argument "when EPP chose its candidate and he may well have prevailed". | Had the Conservatives been part of the European People's Party (EPP), Mr Sikorski said, Mr Cameron could have made his anti-Juncker argument "when EPP chose its candidate and he may well have prevailed". |
| Former defence secretary Liam Fox told the same programme that "it's been a real pleasure watching a British prime minister do what he thinks is right in Europe". | Former defence secretary Liam Fox told the same programme that "it's been a real pleasure watching a British prime minister do what he thinks is right in Europe". |
| "Now he may not win the battle, but it is so much better to see a prime minister willing to fight a battle and take a bloody nose than not fight at all." | "Now he may not win the battle, but it is so much better to see a prime minister willing to fight a battle and take a bloody nose than not fight at all." |
| Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said getting the right candidate for the head of the European Commission "is ultimately a test of David Cameron's influence with our allies to secure the best deal for Britain in Europe". | Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said getting the right candidate for the head of the European Commission "is ultimately a test of David Cameron's influence with our allies to secure the best deal for Britain in Europe". |
| "Even his strongest supporters recognise that so far the prime minister has badly misjudged these vital negotiations, and his public anger appears a very poor substitute for private influence." | "Even his strongest supporters recognise that so far the prime minister has badly misjudged these vital negotiations, and his public anger appears a very poor substitute for private influence." |
| City concern | City concern |
| Meanwhile, writing in the Sunday Times, 54 people - including Conservative donors and two former ministers Lord Lamont and Lord Flight - said they were "extremely concerned" about Britain's "difficulties" in preventing the introduction of new EU financial measures. | Meanwhile, writing in the Sunday Times, 54 people - including Conservative donors and two former ministers Lord Lamont and Lord Flight - said they were "extremely concerned" about Britain's "difficulties" in preventing the introduction of new EU financial measures. |
| "As we enter a period of EU reform and renegotiation, we urge political leaders to remember the significant contribution that our industry plays in Britain's economic success," they said. | "As we enter a period of EU reform and renegotiation, we urge political leaders to remember the significant contribution that our industry plays in Britain's economic success," they said. |
| BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says the letter highlights the challenge Mr Cameron faces - "convincing people he can reform the UK's relationship with Brussels sufficiently to be able to argue Britain should remain within the EU, in a referendum he'd like to hold in 2017". | BBC political correspondent Chris Mason says the letter highlights the challenge Mr Cameron faces - "convincing people he can reform the UK's relationship with Brussels sufficiently to be able to argue Britain should remain within the EU, in a referendum he'd like to hold in 2017". |