More detail on Europe, Cornwall MP George Eustice tells Prime Minister
A Eurosceptic Westcountry MP has urged David Cameron to "flesh out" his vision for clawing back power from Europe – but warns against a snap in-out referendum.
Next week the Prime Minister is due to make his keynote speech on Britain's relationship with the European Union and other continent-wide institutions.
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George Eustice
Writing in today's Western Morning News, George Eustice, Cornwall Tory MP and Mr Cameron's former press aide, says the Prime Minister "must start to set out what would be in the next Conservative manifesto".
Mr Eustice, who points to the potential to loosen ties with Brussels over farming and fisheries policies, said after detailing the powers to claw back, Mr Cameron should "seek a mandate for that position at the next election", set for 2015.
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Any referendum would be after that date, the Camborne and Redruth MP suggests, as an earlier national vote could be a "distraction which undermines the central aim of re-negotiation".
Mr Eustice writes: "We need to flesh out in more detail what a future re-negotiation would look like and seek a mandate for that position at the next election.
"This could include taking powers back in areas such as social and employment policy, a looser relationship with the Common Agricultural Policy and Common Fisheries Policy and the return of responsibility for regional policy, which could mean we have more to spend on regeneration in Cornwall.
"Such a new deal could also involve clipping the wings of wayward EU institutions like the European Court of Justice which currently has too much power."
Europe is once again threatening to be an issue that deeply divides the Tory party.
Some MPs are demanding Mr Cameron calls a referendum on staying in the union much sooner.
At a lunch with journalists in Westminster yesterday, Mr Cameron said his major speech would be delivered shortly.
He said: "The political mood in Britain, I think, is settled behind the need for quite significant reform in terms of Britain's relationship with the European community.
"I do think we have to show some tactical patience. There's still a fire-fighting operation going on in the eurozone.
"(But) in the coming years there will be a big opportunity for a fresh settlement."
Comments
by Doitdreckley
Thursday, December 13 2012, 3:23PM
“What skin off Roger's nose is it if gay people can get married? Churches will not be forced to marry gay people. Its a legal/property agreement more than anything which will protect individuals in same sex relationships.
As for Europe. Under Labour and Conservative governments since the 1990s Europe has investeed in Cornwall where they have not. With facism raising its ugly head in southern Europe would it really be a good time to leave? Previous generations who were around in the 30s and 40s knew/know the answer. Shame about the no life experience pontificators now.”
by Doitdreckley
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 8:43PM
“Europe didn't fail the family business”
by poldice
Wednesday, December 12 2012, 12:08AM
“UKIP appears to have the Conservatives more worried than they are ever likely to admit as the crisis in Europe festers away and Nigel Farrages personal ratings continue to steadily improve.
I must say my longstanding antipathy towards UKIP has melted away due to David Camerons lack of action and the courage of Nigel Farrage and Godfrey Bloom in standing up for Britains best interests in the face of withering opposition from pro European MEP's who are in reality little more than traitors.
The European Union in its present form is doomed as Europe polarises between North and South and financial faultlines widen even as the Euro weakens.
What is needed is a free trade area not a Federal Superstate communicating via umpteen languages that attempts to weld the likes of Germany and Greece or France and Eire into an enforced union that can never work satifactorily in the manner originally envisaged by its architects.”
by roger_angove
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 5:33PM
“I would be interested to know where Mr Eustice stands on 'gay' marriage.
His parliamentary colleague in Falmouth / Truro (Sara Newton) has voted for austerity for the UK and increases in our taxes to fund the continuing undemocratric scandal of the EU.
In spite of several requests for a statement of her voting intentions from several of her constituents who are known to me she refuses even to answer correspondence on this matter.
Many Conservative MPs have expressed their opposition to parody marriage but Mrs Newton is not one of them. It would appear that she is in favour of the EU and 'gay' marriage but is too out of touch and arrogant even to confirmn this to her constituents.
Mrs Newton's majority over her vulgar no-hope opponent at the last election was slim (in three figures) and I doubt that she will be quite so fortunate in her opponents next time,
I'll be voting UKIP.”
by JJLee
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 1:32PM
“I think we need to commit to one or the other, personally for me I do not feel Europe adds good value, so I will also being looking towards UKip next time around”
by SimonR
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 12:45PM
“George, Join UKIP, I Have and thats after being a loyal Tory voter in youir constituency for 35 years, we can no longer go on paying £53,000,000 a day to this failed project while people in your constituency are sleeping in cardboard boxes, and families are crowded into B & B's, business is closing and the BID Project has so far managed to fund the Camborne Xmas lights and not one new business.”
by josdave
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 8:59AM
“Too late we will be in a federal Europe whether we like it or not as all three parties, for some twisted reason, want us to stay in this undemocratic, expensive, inefficient and corrupt organisation. Over 70% of our laws are made in Brussells with our own elected Parliament powerless to do anything about it. Also thanks to the EU we cannot refuse entry to any EU citizen adding to the overcrowding of this small island. As for a referendum look at what happened when a 100,000+ petition had to be debated. All three parties brought out the whips and so there will be no referendum. With all three parties in hock to Brussells nmy vote goes to UKIP as the ONLY party committed to getting us out of this mess.”
by josdave
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 8:56AM
“Too late we will be in a federal Europe whether we like it or not as all three parties, for some twisted reason, want us to stay in this undemocratic, expensive, inefficient and corrupt organisation. Over 70% of our laws are made in Brussells with our own elected Parliament powerless to do anything about it. Also thanks to the EU we cannot refuse entry to any EU citizen adding to the overcrowding of this small island. As for a referendum look at what happened when a 100,000+ petition had to be debated. All three parties brought out the whips and so there will be no referendum. With all three parties in hock to Brussells nmy vote goes to UKIP as the ONLY party committed to getting us out of this mess.”