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David Cameron vetoes EU-wide treaty change Eurozone deal reached without UK
(40 minutes later)
   
UK PM David Cameron has effectively vetoed an EU-wide treaty change to tackle the eurozone crisis, saying it was not in the UK's interests. PM David Cameron has effectively vetoed an EU-wide treaty change to tackle the eurozone crisis, saying it was not in the UK's interests.
Instead a new "accord" setting out tougher budget rules will now be drawn up for the eurozone and at least six other EU states which want to sign up. Instead href="http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/126658.pdf" >a new "accord" setting out tougher budget rules will be drawn up for the eurozone and at least six other EU states which intend to join it.
France's Nicolas Sarkozy said the UK PM had made "unacceptable" demands.France's Nicolas Sarkozy said the UK PM had made "unacceptable" demands.
But UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the move was "very sensible" and would not leave the UK isolated. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague denied the move would leave the UK isolated in Europe.
He said signing up to a change to the Lisbon Treaty - the treaty which governs the running of the EU - would have meant a loss of national sovereignty. He said signing up to a change to the Lisbon Treaty - the treaty which governs the running of the EU - would have meant giving up more national sovereignty.
National budgetsNational budgets
But Labour leader Ed Miliband wrote on Twitter that the outcome was "a sign of weakness from David Cameron": "Why did he fail to build alliances before the summit?"But Labour leader Ed Miliband wrote on Twitter that the outcome was "a sign of weakness from David Cameron": "Why did he fail to build alliances before the summit?"
The 17 eurozone countries and at least six other EU states are expected to sign up to the new deal. Nearly 10 hours of overnight talks could not produce an agreement involving all member states, but the 17 eurozone countries and at least six other EU states - who are expected to join the euro in the future - are expected to sign up to href="/news/world-16104089" title="Eurozone deal reached without UK" >the new deal, which includes:
It will mean they agree to have "balanced budgets" - defined as a structural deficit no greater than 0.5% of gross domestic product. There will be automatic sanctions for any country whose deficit exceeds 3% of GDP.

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For years the British veto has existed as a threat never used. Not any more” For the European people, they are in a closer Europe than they ever voted for”
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  • a commitment to "balanced budgets" for eurozone countries- defined as a structural deficit no greater than 0.5% of gross domestic product - to be written into national constitutions
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  • automatic sanctions for any eurozone country whose deficit exceeds 3% of GDP
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  • a requirement to submit their national budgets to the European Commission, which will have the power to request that they be revised
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Governments will also have to submit their national budgets to the European Commission, which will have the power to request that they be revised.
Nearly 10 hours of overnight talks could not produce an agreement involving all member states.
The UK has long resisted calls from other EU leader for a Europe-wide tax on financial transactions - a so-called Tobin tax - which it argues would hit the City of London disproportionately.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Mr Cameron had made "unacceptable" demands for exemptions for the UK over financial services.French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Mr Cameron had made "unacceptable" demands for exemptions for the UK over financial services.
The UK has long resisted calls from other EU leaders for a Europe-wide tax on financial transactions - a so-called Tobin tax - which it argues would hit the City of London disproportionately.
Sticking pointSticking point
Mr Sarkozy said he would have preferred a treaty change involving all 27 EU members but "that wasn't possible, given the position of our British friends".Mr Sarkozy said he would have preferred a treaty change involving all 27 EU members but "that wasn't possible, given the position of our British friends".
He said the sticking point had been Mr Cameron's insistence on a protocol allowing London to opt out of proposed change on financial services.He said the sticking point had been Mr Cameron's insistence on a protocol allowing London to opt out of proposed change on financial services.
"We were not able to accept [the British demands] because we consider quite the contrary - that a very large and substantial amount of the problems we are facing around the world are a result of lack of regulation of financial services and therefore can't have a waiver for the United Kingdom.""We were not able to accept [the British demands] because we consider quite the contrary - that a very large and substantial amount of the problems we are facing around the world are a result of lack of regulation of financial services and therefore can't have a waiver for the United Kingdom."
But Mr Cameron told a news conference that the deal on the table was not in Britain's interest "so I didn't sign up to it".But Mr Cameron told a news conference that the deal on the table was not in Britain's interest "so I didn't sign up to it".
"We want the eurozone countries to come together and solve their problems. But we should only allow that to happen within the EU treaties if there are proper protections for the single market, for other key British interests" he said."We want the eurozone countries to come together and solve their problems. But we should only allow that to happen within the EU treaties if there are proper protections for the single market, for other key British interests" he said.
"Without those safeguards it is better not to have a treaty within a treaty, but have those countries make their arrangements separately."Without those safeguards it is better not to have a treaty within a treaty, but have those countries make their arrangements separately.
"It was a tough decision but the right one.""It was a tough decision but the right one."
Legal challengesLegal challenges
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said there was no denying now that a two-speed Europe - those inside the new deal and those outside - was inevitable.The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said there was no denying now that a two-speed Europe - those inside the new deal and those outside - was inevitable.
He predicted a series of legal challenges about what the new euro "club within a club" could discuss, and whether it should be allowed to use EU resources and officials.He predicted a series of legal challenges about what the new euro "club within a club" could discuss, and whether it should be allowed to use EU resources and officials.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Foreign Secretary Mr Hague said other European countries had made "nothing like enough of an effort" to meet UK concerns about the implication of a deal.Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Foreign Secretary Mr Hague said other European countries had made "nothing like enough of an effort" to meet UK concerns about the implication of a deal.
He said the UK had sought - but not been given - guarantees that no decisions would be taken that would disadvantage those nations outside the eurozone, or disadvantage the financial services sector in the UK.He said the UK had sought - but not been given - guarantees that no decisions would be taken that would disadvantage those nations outside the eurozone, or disadvantage the financial services sector in the UK.
He said he "would not use the word isolated" about the decision Mr Cameron had taken, because the new club was not one the UK would want to be part of.He said he "would not use the word isolated" about the decision Mr Cameron had taken, because the new club was not one the UK would want to be part of.
"What they've committed themselves to here is to giving up more national control over their budgets, and us standing apart from that is not being isolated from them, it is a very sensible thing to stand apart from that," he said."What they've committed themselves to here is to giving up more national control over their budgets, and us standing apart from that is not being isolated from them, it is a very sensible thing to stand apart from that," he said.
He said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg - who, as leader of the Liberal Democrats, is much more pro-European than Mr Cameron - had "signed up" to the use of the veto. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg - whose Liberal Democrat party is much more pro-European than their coalition colleagues - said he "regretted" that a deal involving all 27 members could not be reached.
A spokesman for Mr Clegg said he had been "consulted throughout". But he added: "The demands Britain made for safeguards, on which the coalition government was united, were modest and reasonable. They were safeguards for the single market, not just the UK.
"There were no demands of repatriation of powers from the EU to Britain and no demands for a unilateral carve-out of UK financial services."
'Without allies''Without allies'
Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson told the BBC: "David Cameron has played a blinder and he's done the only thing that it was really open for him to do."Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson told the BBC: "David Cameron has played a blinder and he's done the only thing that it was really open for him to do."
But for Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK had gone into the summit "without allies".But for Labour, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the UK had gone into the summit "without allies".
"I regret just how badly David Cameron's negotiation strategy has let Britain down, because if you strip away all the rhetoric and look at the reality, Britain today is more isolated than at any point in the 35 years since we joined the European Community," he said."I regret just how badly David Cameron's negotiation strategy has let Britain down, because if you strip away all the rhetoric and look at the reality, Britain today is more isolated than at any point in the 35 years since we joined the European Community," he said.
Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, which campaigns for the UK's exit from the EU, said Mr Cameron could have obtained concessions by threatening to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership.Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, which campaigns for the UK's exit from the EU, said Mr Cameron could have obtained concessions by threatening to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership.
"It's quite untenable for us to remain in a union alone, on the outside, having laws made for us, [while we're] in a permanent voting minority."It's quite untenable for us to remain in a union alone, on the outside, having laws made for us, [while we're] in a permanent voting minority.
"This is the worst of all worlds for the UK.""This is the worst of all worlds for the UK."