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Eurozone crisis: PM vows to fight for national interest Eurozone crisis: PM vows to fight for national interest
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David Cameron has said he will fight to protect the UK national interest in discussions over a new EU Treaty.David Cameron has said he will fight to protect the UK national interest in discussions over a new EU Treaty.
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.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".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.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.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. 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.
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. At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron faced a succession of questions from Mr Miliband and Conservative MPs attacking proposed further integration in Europe and urging him to use the summit to redefine the UK's relationship with Europe.
'Leverage'
John Baron urged the PM to seize what he said was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to oppose further political union while Andrew Tyrie warned against the risk of "a calculated assault" by the eurozone against the UK's position as Europe's leading financial centre.
The PM was asked by Conservative Andrew Rosindell to "show bulldog spirit" in a "resolute and uncompromising defence of British national interests".
If all 27 EU members were asked to sign a new treaty, Mr Cameron said the UK would expect to "get a price" in return. Should the members of the eurozone decide to pursue agreement on their own, the PM said the UK would still be able to exert "some leverage".
He said he would be "looking out for the interests of UK plc" by seeking specific safeguards to give the UK "more power and control" in areas such as the single market and financial regulation.
"The more the countries in the eurozone ask for, the more we will ask for in return," he told MPs. "We will judge that on the basis of what matters most for Britain."
"The British national interest absolutely means that we need to help resolve this crisis in the eurozone... resolving this crisis is about jobs, growth, business and investment right here in the UK. At the same time we must seek safeguards for Britain."
But Mr Miliband said the prime minister had promised his Conservative backbenchers that he would use the eurozone crisis to bring powers back to the UK in order "to quell a rebellion" but now backed down and could not name a single area where this might happen.
"Six weeks ago he was promising his backbenchers a handbagging for Europe now he is just reduced to hand-wringing. That is the reality for this PM.
"The problem for Britain is at the most important European summit for a generation, which matters hugely for families and businesses up and down the country, the PM is simply left on the sidelines."
Parliamentary vote
Germany and France are pushing for EU treaty changes enshrining new budget rules for eurozone members by March.Germany and France are pushing for EU treaty changes enshrining new budget rules for eurozone members by March.
'Right safeguards'
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".
"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."
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.
Tobin tax
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 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 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.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.
Employment Minister Chris Grayling said any new treaty would "certainly have to come before Parliament". Employment Minister Chris Grayling told the BBC any new treaty would "certainly have to come before Parliament".
But some Conservative backbenchers - 80 of whom defied the government last month and called for a referendum - insist this is not good enough. More than 80 Tory MPs defied the government last month and called for a referendum on the UK's membership.
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". But Chris Heaton-Harris, founder of the Fresh Start group of MPs seeking reform of UK-EU relations rather than outright withdrawal, said Mr Cameron should not do anything to delay a solution to the eurozone crisis.
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. "I'm not convinced it (the summit) is going to be as bad as lots of media commentators are making out," he told the Daily Politics show. "I think there's a very good chance the Germans and the French will be helping us help them."
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.
"And that will put Britain in the second division, a place that it's tried to avoid for the last 40 years."
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".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."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.