This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-16081167
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron to travel to EU crisis summit | David Cameron to travel to EU crisis summit |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prime Minister David Cameron is to travel to Brussels for a major EU summit on the eurozone debt crisis. | Prime Minister David Cameron is to travel to Brussels for a major EU summit on the eurozone debt crisis. |
| Germany and France want a new EU treaty with measures to stop a repeat of the problems threatening the euro's future. | Germany and France want a new EU treaty with measures to stop a repeat of the problems threatening the euro's future. |
| Mr Cameron is under pressure from many Tory MPs to resist moves to strengthen the power of Brussels over EU members. | Mr Cameron is under pressure from many Tory MPs to resist moves to strengthen the power of Brussels over EU members. |
| Tory ex-foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has backed a tough approach - but urged Mr Cameron to stick to issues relevant to the crisis. | Tory ex-foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has backed a tough approach - but urged Mr Cameron to stick to issues relevant to the crisis. |
| In a joint letter on Wednesday, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for the 17 eurozone countries to have common corporation and financial transaction taxes. | |
| Meanwhile at Prime Minister's Question Time, Mr Cameron said he would fight for the UK national interest in any EU Treaty talks, following questions from Conservative MPs. | Meanwhile at Prime Minister's Question Time, Mr Cameron said he would fight for the UK national interest in any EU Treaty talks, following questions from Conservative MPs. |
| He said: "The more eurozone countries ask for, the more we will ask for in return," including safeguards about the financial sector. | He said: "The more eurozone countries ask for, the more we will ask for in return," including safeguards about the financial sector. |
| Earlier, Downing Street said any treaty signed by the UK "will need to go through Parliament". It has said that a referendum will not be necessary because the proposed changes would not involve a big shift in power from London to Brussels. | Earlier, Downing Street said any treaty signed by the UK "will need to go through Parliament". It has said that a referendum will not be necessary because the proposed changes would not involve a big shift in power from London to Brussels. |
| Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg backed up Mr Cameron, saying the position on holding a referendum was clear. | |
| "Of course there should be a referendum if we as a country were to surrender new powers to the European Union," he said. | |
| "But there's no question of us doing that now because the new powers that will be surrended by anyone will be within the eurozone and of course we are not a members of the eurozone so the question simply does not arise". | |
| Tough approach | Tough approach |
| But Labour leader Ed Miliband said at Question Time that the UK had been "left on the sidelines". | |
| He said Mr Cameron had promised to bring powers back to the UK in order "to quell a rebellion" by his backbenchers, but now 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 prime minister," he said. | |
| Meanwhile, his brother, former foreign secretary David Miliband said Mr Cameron needed to tackle the Euro rebels in his party. | |
| Writing in the Daily Mirror he claimed the growing number "determined to wrench Britain out of the EU" were "the real threat to Britain's national interest". | |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson said the UK should oppose any change which created a "very dominant economic government" across Europe. | |
| "If Britain was asked to sign up to such a thing within the 27 (all the members of the EU), it would be right to veto it and if we felt unable to veto it, I certainly think that it should be put to a referendum," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. | "If Britain was asked to sign up to such a thing within the 27 (all the members of the EU), it would be right to veto it and if we felt unable to veto it, I certainly think that it should be put to a referendum," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One. |
| However, he said the government could not "reasonably" have a referendum if the new arrangements were confined to the 17 eurozone countries only. | However, he said the government could not "reasonably" have a referendum if the new arrangements were confined to the 17 eurozone countries only. |
| Sir Malcolm said Mr Cameron needed to focus on the matter in hand: "The tough approach required from David Cameron is perfectly reasonable if he concentrates on issues relevant to this crisis, such as the potential threat to the City of London. | Sir Malcolm said Mr Cameron needed to focus on the matter in hand: "The tough approach required from David Cameron is perfectly reasonable if he concentrates on issues relevant to this crisis, such as the potential threat to the City of London. |
| "But if we were to have debates and discussions on Friday about whether we should repatriate the Common Fisheries Policy or the Working Time Directive or matters of that kind, the rest of the world would be aghast." | "But if we were to have debates and discussions on Friday about whether we should repatriate the Common Fisheries Policy or the Working Time Directive or matters of that kind, the rest of the world would be aghast." |