Call to stand firm on EU

Alex Gore • Published 17 Dec 2011 08:00 0 Comments

TWO LEADING Euro-sceptics are demanding the Prime Minister stand firm against Brussels by fundamentally renegotiating Britain's relationship with its European neighbours.

Wokingham MP John Redwood said David Cameron's veto of a new European Union treaty was the "only thing he could do" because signing the agreement would have forced Britain to make multi-billion pound public spending and tax cuts.

The Tory MP, well known for his desire to see Britain leave the EU, said the Prime Minister should negotiate a new relationship with Europe based on "trade and friendship" before putting it to a referendum.

He told The Chronicle: "The Euro is extremely demanding for all involved in it and Britain should not be any part of paying for it or bailing it out. We can't afford to and this is a good opportunity to say no."

Mr Redwood also refuted suggestions that Mr Cameron has left Britain isolated, pointing out that Poland is unlikely to get the required two thirds of its parliament to ratify the agreement, while the Finnish Prime Minister has been threatened with a public inquiry for overstepping his mandate.

But he believes Mr Cameron will disappoint him by not fundamentally renegotiating Britain's position and warned: "I don't think the Government will do this. They think they can now go quiet."

Lord Stoddart of Swindon, a former Reading councillor who still lives in Bath Road, is demanding a referendum based on a simple 'in or out' question on EU membership.

He said Mr Cameron has taken only a small step, and added: "I wish he had gone much further and told them we can do very well without the incubus of the EU."

The Independent Labour peer said the Eurozone crisis proved it is safer for Britain to be on the sidelines.

He added: "We should not confine ourselves to the backyard of Europe, it is declining in influence. The world should be our oyster. Nick Clegg said he is going to build bridges with Europe but we don't want them, we have already got a tunnel. We need to build bridges with countries that matter in this world."

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 15 Dec 11

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