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| William Hague warns EU of British disillusion | William Hague warns EU of British disillusion |
| (30 days later) | |
| Public disillusionment with the EU in Britain is the deepest it has ever been and may make the whole institution democratically unsustainable in the UK, William Hague will warn on Tuesday . | Public disillusionment with the EU in Britain is the deepest it has ever been and may make the whole institution democratically unsustainable in the UK, William Hague will warn on Tuesday . |
| In a speech in Berlin that starts to flesh out the nature of Britain's demands for a changed Europe, the foreign secretary will warn that, in the UK, "people feel that in too many ways the EU is something that is done to them, not something over which they have a say". | In a speech in Berlin that starts to flesh out the nature of Britain's demands for a changed Europe, the foreign secretary will warn that, in the UK, "people feel that in too many ways the EU is something that is done to them, not something over which they have a say". |
| He will add: "People feel that the EU is a one-way process, a great machine that sucks up decision-making from national parliaments to the European level until everything is decided by the EU. That needs to change. If we cannot show that decision-making can flow back to national parliaments, then the system will become democratically unsustainable." | He will add: "People feel that the EU is a one-way process, a great machine that sucks up decision-making from national parliaments to the European level until everything is decided by the EU. That needs to change. If we cannot show that decision-making can flow back to national parliaments, then the system will become democratically unsustainable." |
| His remarks follow a warning by David Cameron that he would not accept an EU budget deal if it required above-inflation increase. The prime minister told MPs on Monday that Britain would "stick to our guns" over the EU budget when it is discussed at a special EU summit on 22-23 November. | His remarks follow a warning by David Cameron that he would not accept an EU budget deal if it required above-inflation increase. The prime minister told MPs on Monday that Britain would "stick to our guns" over the EU budget when it is discussed at a special EU summit on 22-23 November. |
| The European commission is seeking €1,033bn (£842bn) – 1.08% of EU gross national income – in commitments for the 2014-20 period and €988bn in payments (1.03% of EU GNI). But Cameron insists there must be no increase above inflation and has made clear he is ready to wield the UK's veto to block a deal which is not in Britain's interest. | The European commission is seeking €1,033bn (£842bn) – 1.08% of EU gross national income – in commitments for the 2014-20 period and €988bn in payments (1.03% of EU GNI). But Cameron insists there must be no increase above inflation and has made clear he is ready to wield the UK's veto to block a deal which is not in Britain's interest. |
| Germany is understood to be hoping to persuade him to accept a compromise which would cap EU spending at 1% of gross income, slightly lower than the commission proposal. | Germany is understood to be hoping to persuade him to accept a compromise which would cap EU spending at 1% of gross income, slightly lower than the commission proposal. |
| The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is due to visit Cameron on 7 November, when the row over the budget is likely to top the agenda. | The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is due to visit Cameron on 7 November, when the row over the budget is likely to top the agenda. |
| Aides declined to spell out the precise circumstances which would cause the prime minister to invoke the UK's veto, saying that he did not wish to show his negotiating hand at this stage. They said the EU would need to take into account plans for a budget only covering the eurozone area. | Aides declined to spell out the precise circumstances which would cause the prime minister to invoke the UK's veto, saying that he did not wish to show his negotiating hand at this stage. They said the EU would need to take into account plans for a budget only covering the eurozone area. |
| Faced by an array of sceptical Conservative MPs, Cameron said he wanted a "rigorous settlement", adding: "We have not put in place tough settlements in Britain in order to go to Brussels and sign up to big increases in European spending. I don't think German voters want that any more than British voters." | Faced by an array of sceptical Conservative MPs, Cameron said he wanted a "rigorous settlement", adding: "We have not put in place tough settlements in Britain in order to go to Brussels and sign up to big increases in European spending. I don't think German voters want that any more than British voters." |
| Hague's speech will insist it is in Britain's interests for the EU to succeed in organising an effective economic union: "The eurozone countries must do what they must to resolve the crisis, but the way forward for the EU as a whole is not more centralisation and uniformity but of flexibility and variable geometry, that allows differing degrees of integration in different areas, done in ways that do not disadvantage those that do not wish to participate in everything, and preserves the things we all value." | Hague's speech will insist it is in Britain's interests for the EU to succeed in organising an effective economic union: "The eurozone countries must do what they must to resolve the crisis, but the way forward for the EU as a whole is not more centralisation and uniformity but of flexibility and variable geometry, that allows differing degrees of integration in different areas, done in ways that do not disadvantage those that do not wish to participate in everything, and preserves the things we all value." |
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