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Pressure on David Cameron ahead of EU crisis summit David Cameron would not hesitate to veto 'bad EU deal'
(about 4 hours later)
  
Downing Street says the PM is "very focused" on securing the best deal for the UK - as he attends a key EU summit to tackle the eurozone debt crisis. David Cameron has said he would have "no hesitation" in vetoing a proposed new European Union treaty if it did not offer a "good deal" for the UK.
Germany and France want a new EU treaty and the PM has said he will block one that does not protect UK interests. Speaking before leaving for a crucial summit in Brussels, the prime minister said he would "stand up for the country" in talks on Europe's future.
He says he will seek "safeguards" for UK interests like financial services. Some senior Conservatives say big changes should be put to a referendum.
But some senior Tories say big changes should be put to a UK referendum - others want him to do more to reshape the UK's relationship with the EU. Others want him to do more to reshape the UK's relationship with the EU by taking back specific powers.
Mr Cameron has left for Brussels, where EU leaders will discuss plans to try to resolve the crisis - France and Germany are pushing for new EU treaties enshrining stricter fiscal rules for the 17 member states which use the euro. Leaders of the EU's 27 member states are set to gather in a fresh attempt to resolve the eurozone debt crisis but also to discuss Franco-German plans for a new EU treaty enshrining stricter fiscal rules for the 17 member states which use the euro.
'Useful talks' French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called for much closer co-operation among eurozone members, including budgetary oversight, common corporation and financial transaction taxes.
He has said he will exact "a price" for UK support for any treaty change requiring the support of all 27 EU members and wants safeguards on financial regulation and for the single market, in the event of closer fiscal integration by the eurozone countries. 'Chess game'
His spokesman would not elaborate on details of the safeguards on Thursday, saying it would be wrong to set out Britain's negotiating position ahead of the summit. Mr Cameron has said he will exact "a price" for UK support for any treaty change requiring the support of all 27 EU members and wants safeguards on financial regulation and for the single market, in the event of closer fiscal integration in the eurozone.
But he said Mr Cameron was "very focused on the meeting and the discussions ahead and on getting the best deal for the UK" and had had "useful" talks with the prime ministers of Holland, Sweden and Italy, as well as Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's President Nicolas Sarkozy in recent days. "So in return for the treaty that they want - to sort out the problems of the eurozone - I want to make sure we get a good deal for Britain, we keep our markets open and we have the power here in the UK to make sure that our top industries are properly promoted and enhanced," he said.
The PM faced calls to show "bulldog spirit" at the summit from his own backbenchers in the Commons on Wednesday. Some have gone further, calling for Mr Cameron to use the opportunity to reshape the UK's relationship with the EU - or put any major changes to a UK referendum. The prime minister acknowledged the negotiations would not be easy. "Sometimes it is like playing chess against 26 different people, rather than just one person and I am not very good at chess anyway. But I will be doing my best for Britain and I hope if we get a good deal, that will be good for Britain."
President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel have called for the 17 eurozone countries to have common corporation and financial transaction taxes. But he warned: "If I can't get what I want I will have no hesitation in vetoing a treaty at 27 because I am not going to go to Brussels and not stand up for our country. That is what a prime minister should do and that is what I will do."
But former Conservative leadership candidate David Davis - a Europe minister in John Major's government - said Mr Cameron should not accept any moves by the EU's 17 eurozone states to form their own union or strike a deal without going through all 27 EU states. Pressure on Mr Cameron from within his own party continues to build and former Conservative leadership candidate David Davis - a Europe minister in John Major's government - said the PM should not accept any moves by eurozone members to form their own union or strike a deal without going through all 27 EU states.
"The raw politics of this is, if there is a significant change in the balance of power in Europe, it has big implications for our future - that's the point at which you have to have a referendum.""The raw politics of this is, if there is a significant change in the balance of power in Europe, it has big implications for our future - that's the point at which you have to have a referendum."
Referendum callsReferendum calls
Downing Street says any treaty signed by the UK "will need to go through Parliament" but the government says a UK referendum will not be necessary, because the proposed changes would not involve a big shift in power from London to Brussels.Downing Street says any treaty signed by the UK "will need to go through Parliament" but the government says a UK referendum will not be necessary, because the proposed changes would not involve a big shift in power from London to Brussels.
But two other senior Conservatives - Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Patterson and Mayor of London Boris Johnson - also suggested there might have to be a referendum, if a new eurozone bloc was created, or the UK was asked to sign up to a new EU treaty involving all 27 member states.But two other senior Conservatives - Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Patterson and Mayor of London Boris Johnson - also suggested there might have to be a referendum, if a new eurozone bloc was created, or the UK was asked to sign up to a new EU treaty involving all 27 member states.
Conservative backbencher Bernard Jenkin told the BBC: "I don't underestimate the prime minister and I wish him luck in Brussels today but he could have a win-win-win situation if he said 'I'm sorry, this is such a big change we have got to have a referendum'.Conservative backbencher Bernard Jenkin told the BBC: "I don't underestimate the prime minister and I wish him luck in Brussels today but he could have a win-win-win situation if he said 'I'm sorry, this is such a big change we have got to have a referendum'.
"He'd have the Conservatives behind him, the British people want a referendum, the British people want a different relationship with Europe, and he would have a much stronger hand to negotiate in the national interest.""He'd have the Conservatives behind him, the British people want a referendum, the British people want a different relationship with Europe, and he would have a much stronger hand to negotiate in the national interest."
'Back to the 90s'
However Mr Cameron's received some support from his predecessor as Conservative leader, Lord Howard, who told the BBC he wanted a "rebalancing" of the relationship, but that was an issue for the future.However Mr Cameron's received some support from his predecessor as Conservative leader, Lord Howard, who told the BBC he wanted a "rebalancing" of the relationship, but that was an issue for the future.
'World would be aghast'
He said: "What is pressing at the moment is the need to help the eurozone overcome its crisis, because the world economy is in a very fragile state and a disorderly break-up of the eurozone could bring about an economic catastrophe on a global scale."He said: "What is pressing at the moment is the need to help the eurozone overcome its crisis, because the world economy is in a very fragile state and a disorderly break-up of the eurozone could bring about an economic catastrophe on a global scale."
The Conservative former foreign secretary, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, also said that while it was right to look at "relevant" issues to the crisis - like financial regulation - "the rest of the world would be aghast" if Mr Cameron were to use the summit to try to claw back powers in other areas. Former Cabinet minister Lord Fowler said those Conservatives urging a referendum risked taking the party "back to the 1990s" when it was riven by splits on Europe.
UK Chancellor George Osborne told a Lords committee the Treasury was planning for "all eventualities": "I am confident that we have got the right plans in place but I should give a fair warning that however much contingency planting you do, the disorderly collapse of the euro would do enormous damage to the British economy at this point." But Education Secretary Michael Gove said the cabinet and the entire Conservative party were "united" behind the prime minister in his efforts to "win for Britain".
He said he would not allow an EU-wide transactions tax and said there was evidence of attempts to impose unnecessary regulation which could hit the UK's competitiveness - including a "eurozone location policy" which he said could mean some companies with business across the eurozone having to move from London to Paris. Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg - whose party is more pro-European than their coalition partners - said the UK was not asking for "exceptional treatment" just for there to be a "level playing field" in Europe.
Labour leader Ed Miliband says that the UK has been "left on the sidelines" of the EU debate and, having promised his backbenchers a Lady Thatcher-style "handbagging" in Europe, Mr Cameron was now reduced to "hand wringing".Labour leader Ed Miliband says that the UK has been "left on the sidelines" of the EU debate and, having promised his backbenchers a Lady Thatcher-style "handbagging" in Europe, Mr Cameron was now reduced to "hand wringing".
Meanwhile, his brother, Labour former foreign secretary David Miliband said Mr Cameron needed to tackle eurosceptics 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".