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Eurozone crisis: Clarke rejects EU power grab call Eurozone crisis: PM vows to fight for national interest
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Ken Clarke has warned Tory Eurosceptics not to expect powers to be returned to the UK from the EU at a key summit. David Cameron has said he will fight to protect the UK national interest in discussions over a new EU Treaty.
EU leaders will discuss plans backed by France and Germany for a new EU treaty to deal with the eurozone debt crisis, at a summit in Brussels this week. The prime minister told MPs "the more eurozone countries ask for, the more we will ask for in return", including safeguards about the financial sector.
Asked by one Conservative MP to show "bulldog spirit" in Friday's EU summit, he said he would do "exactly that".
But Labour leader Ed Miliband said the UK had been "left on the sidelines" and unable to influence events.
Earlier Downing Street said any treaty signed by the UK "will need to go through Parliament", although it did not say whether this would require new legislation.
EU leaders will discuss plans backed by France and Germany for a new EU treaty to deal with the eurozone debt crisis at a summit in Brussels this week.
Some Conservatives want the UK to seize the chance to get some powers back.Some Conservatives want the UK to seize the chance to get some powers back.
David Cameron says he will block any changes that do not "protect our interests" but Mr Clarke said he did not expect "any transfers of powers". Prime Minister David Cameron says he will block any changes that do not "protect our interests" while Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has said he did not expect "any transfers of powers" back to the UK at this stage.
Germany and France are pushing for EU treaty changes enshrining new budget rules for eurozone members by March - the plan will be discussed on Thursday and Friday by EU leaders. Germany and France are pushing for EU treaty changes enshrining new budget rules for eurozone members by March.
'Right safeguards''Right safeguards'
In an interview with the Times, UK Prime Minister Mr Cameron said sorting out the eurozone's problems as quickly as possible was the most important issue for Britain's national interest. In an interview with the Times, Mr Cameron said sorting out the eurozone's problems as quickly as possible was the most important issue for Britain's national interest.
But he said it was his job to defend British interests and, should there be a treaty change involving all 27 members of the EU, he would look at "the right safeguards for Britain".But he said it was his job to defend British interests and, should there be a treaty change involving all 27 members of the EU, he would look at "the right safeguards for Britain".
"If we are changing the treaty that applies to all EU countries and allowing the eurozone countries to have new rules, it is also important that there are rules to keep the single market fair and open for key industries for Britain, including financial services.""If we are changing the treaty that applies to all EU countries and allowing the eurozone countries to have new rules, it is also important that there are rules to keep the single market fair and open for key industries for Britain, including financial services."
Signalling that he was prepared to veto treaty changes, he added: "Our colleagues in the EU need to know that we will not agree to a treaty change that fails to protect our interest."Signalling that he was prepared to veto treaty changes, he added: "Our colleagues in the EU need to know that we will not agree to a treaty change that fails to protect our interest."
He also said that a treaty change involving only the 17 eurozone members but which used EU institutions - like the European Commission and Court of Justice - would also "clearly require safeguards".He also said that a treaty change involving only the 17 eurozone members but which used EU institutions - like the European Commission and Court of Justice - would also "clearly require safeguards".
The prime minister has said in the past that he would like to see some powers repatriated from the EU - particularly in employment and social policy - in the future, but did not mention them in his article.The prime minister has said in the past that he would like to see some powers repatriated from the EU - particularly in employment and social policy - in the future, but did not mention them in his article.
Tobin taxTobin tax
Justice Secretary Mr Clarke, the most pro-European Conservative cabinet minister, told the Financial Times he did not expect any repatriation of powers as a result of this week's summit: "No, we're not going to renegotiate any transfers of powers, in my opinion." Mr Clarke, the most pro-European Conservative cabinet minister, told the Financial Times he did not expect any repatriation of powers as a result of this week's summit: "No, we're not going to renegotiate any transfers of powers, in my opinion."
He said Britain should focus on "how to maintain the financial stability of the western world", adding it would be a distraction to try to open up discussions about the "wider structures of the union".He said Britain should focus on "how to maintain the financial stability of the western world", adding it would be a distraction to try to open up discussions about the "wider structures of the union".
He also said Britain should be prepared to accept "proper" financial regulation from Brussels but he rejected the idea of an EU "Tobin tax" on financial transactions.He also said Britain should be prepared to accept "proper" financial regulation from Brussels but he rejected the idea of an EU "Tobin tax" on financial transactions.
Downing Street has said that none of the proposed treaty changes would trigger a referendum in the UK, as they did not involve a significant transfer of power from Westminster to Brussels. Downing Street has said none of the proposed treaty changes would trigger a referendum in the UK, as they did not involve a significant transfer of power from Westminster to Brussels, but that Parliament would be asked to approve them.
But some Conservative backbenchers disagree. Douglas Carswell told the BBC on Tuesday: "This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to get the deal that we want. The issue is can we trust ministers and mandarins to negotiate the deal on our behalf? I believe not. Employment Minister Chris Grayling said any new treaty would "certainly have to come before Parliament".
"The only way that we can get the deal that is in the national interest is if ministers and mandarins know that the result has to be put to the people in a referendum." But some Conservative backbenchers - 80 of whom defied the government last month and called for a referendum - insist this is not good enough.
Tory MP Douglas Carswell told the BBC on Tuesday said "the only way that we can get the deal that is in the national interest is if ministers and mandarins know that the result has to be put to the people in a referendum".
In a leaked report ahead of the meeting, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has suggested tougher rules to tackle the eurozone debt crisis need not, for now, require a treaty change but be managed by a "fiscal compact" that would not require lengthy ratification by parliaments.In a leaked report ahead of the meeting, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has suggested tougher rules to tackle the eurozone debt crisis need not, for now, require a treaty change but be managed by a "fiscal compact" that would not require lengthy ratification by parliaments.
The former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband said some Conservatives were "spoiling for a fight that would bring Britain out of the European Union".The former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband said some Conservatives were "spoiling for a fight that would bring Britain out of the European Union".
"The trap is that in the end the other countries will go ahead on their own and not just decide economic policy for the eurozone, they'll end up designing policy for the whole of the European Union."The trap is that in the end the other countries will go ahead on their own and not just decide economic policy for the eurozone, they'll end up designing policy for the whole of the European Union.
"And that will put Britain in the second division, a place that it's tried to avoid for the last 40 years.""And that will put Britain in the second division, a place that it's tried to avoid for the last 40 years."
Last month, more than 80 Conservative MPs defied the government and called for a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU. The UK Independence Party, which wants the UK to leave the EU, said Mr Cameron's pledge to safeguard UK interests in negotiations was "blurred and undefined".
"David Cameron has retreated so far to please his EU partners he is now supporting the federalist dream of fiscal union for the eurozone to save the Euro," the party's leader Nigel Farage said.