What Is Cameron Playing At In Europe?

[Gromit]

This whole Juncker business will turn out to be an embarrassment for Cameron and leaving British Government looking totally isolated. Any chance (if it ever existed) of renegociating our EU membership is in tatters.

// David Cameron has been accused of “incompetence in European affairs” in a foul-mouthed tirade by one of his closest allies on the continent.
The Prime Minister was reportedly accused of engaging in “stupid propaganda” to appease Tory Eurosceptics during his negotiations with the European Union by Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister.
The attack could be heard in a set of leaked tapes, in which Mr Sikorski accused Mr Cameron of having “f----- up” over Europe. //

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10921654/EU-allies-berate-incompetent-Cameron.html

And that is from our clise allies.

Is Cameron really that incompetent, or is it a ploy to make leaving the EU more acceptable?

[youngmafbog]

I would suspect the second. Cameron has been pro europe, he has to appear to be trying to get Europe to work but it is clear, despite recent clear public opinion across the EU that the EU has no intention of change, indeed it appears to be moving to an even more federalist approach.

The EU has not been good for us up until now but has been tolerable. I suspect it will change to become totally intolerable and very expensive as more countries join the gravy train paid mostly for by the Germans and the Brits.

[Gromit]

The Reformist Group in the European Parliament (of which the Conservatives are a member) have a quarter number MEPs as the largest Group, the conservative EPP, who have nominated Junckner.

Moreover, UKiP who won the UK European elections, are supporting Junckers nomination.

[Gromit]

Thanks to the Daily Mail for further info on Radek Sikorski

// David Cameron's bid to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU has been ridiculed by Poland's Foreign Secretary in explosive private recordings leaked to the country's media.

Radek Sikorski, who was in the infamous Bullingdon Club with Boris Johnson at university in Oxford, accused Mr Cameron of 'incompetence' and 'stupidly' pandering to his eurosceptic backbenchers. //

[kvalidir]

Cameron is marginalising us with silly appeasement politics to save his own skin, making himself look stupid both on the continent and at home by blustering and then coming away empty handed, and generally attracting the derision of everyone- everythig he usually plays at in Europe.

[venator]

Napoleon and Hitler wanted a united Europe...

This time the European federalists have used pen and paper instead of bombs and bullets, and we have fallen for it.

Tony Bliar gave in to "qualified majority voting" - this was his crowning achievement, better even than his Iraq war.

We have a Prime Minister who, like the RAF in the first Battle of Britain, is standing alone against the invaders.

The UK has a negative balance of payments with the EU, and pays billions of pounds for the privilege.

[venator]

Hang on kvaldir - who is he appeasing?

and "empty handed" - didn't he get the EU budget cut - didn't he veto, yes VETO one of their little plots?

[Svejk]

you are aware that opposition to juncker is one of the few things that the Conservatives and Labour are in full agreement on?

[Canary42]

The usual "Toff out of Touch" syndrome.

[venator]

Gromit - "Moreover, UKiP who won the UK European elections, are supporting Junckers nomination." -

OK Farage is a clown, and his party is a one trick horse setup, desperately looking for some policies, BUT he is supporting Juncker because he will perpetuate the worst aspects of EU federalism, and hasten our exit from the whole corrupt beuraucratic shambles, leaving Deutschland to pay for the whole thing...

[Ellipsis]

Cameron's plan is:

1) Get a reasonable president of the EU
2) Win the 2015 election
3) From 2015-2017, attempt to re-negotiate Britain's relationship with Europe - step 1 helps here
4) Take re-negotiated position to an in-out Europe vote in 2017

Obviously steps 3 and 4 suffer if step 1 fails.

Maybe step 2 suffers if step 1 fails, too, although neither Clegg nor Miliband backs Juncker; all three (Cameron, Clegg and Miliband) want to stay in Europe, although Cameron wants to re-negotiate then put it to the vote.

Farage, who wants to leave Europe, backs Juncker.

[TWR]

Cameron, Incompetent, ha ha ha ha

[Gromit]

I have yet to hear from Cameron (or anyone else) who is an alternative candidate. Why won't he name who he prefers instead?

[Gromit]

Ellipsis

Problem is, he will not get 1) because he has isolated himself even amongst his allies.

So 2), 3), and 4) become harder to achieve, not easier.

[Ellipsis]

Gromit, he was on a loser all along. I like what he's trying to do, but I doubt he'll succeed.