Eurosceptic fury over PM climbdown
EUROSCEPTIC Tory MPs last night convened in Westminster to plot how to fight back against the Prime Minister’s perceived U-turn over a new Eurozone fiscal compact.
David Cameron was hailed last month for appearing to protect European Union institutions from being utilised as part of increased fiscal union between euro member states.
Yet despite describing the EU institutions as “an important protection for Britain” and the single market, the PM is now unlikely to take action against members of the fiscal deal using bodies such as the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
French President Nicolas Sarkozy emerged from last night’s conference suggesting that the ECJ would be involved in the new Eurozone pact.
While Cameron said yesterday the treaty “places no obligations on the UK”, he added that he would not stand in the way of plans to use EU institutions.
“Our national interest is that these countries get on and sort out the mess that is the euro,” he said.
Some Conservatives, furious that such an arrangement has circumvented the need for an EU-wide treaty and a vote in Westminster, have stepped up calls for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, accusing senior ministers and bureaucrats of stitching up the UK.
“This is what happens when you leave it to ministers and mandarins,” Douglas Carswell MP told City A.M. “You can’t just trust them. There needs to be a push towards a referendum.”
Arch-Eurosceptic MEP Daniel Hannan later endorsed a plan by the People’s Pledge group to hold its own referendum in a range of constituencies in the UK.
Separately, a large group of MPs met to discuss how best to respond to developments in Brussels.