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Cameron says UK 'not alone' in Juncker opposition No 10 says Cameron has secured EU vote over Juncker
(about 1 hour later)
Many other EU leaders are also opposed to Jean-Claude Juncker being appointed EC president, says David Cameron. David Cameron has won agreement for a vote on the future president of the European Commission, No 10 has said.
The UK PM was speaking ahead of a meeting in No 10 with European Council president Herman Van Rompuy. It follows "a full and frank" meeting with European Council president Herman Van Rompuy at Number 10.
He said: "There are many other heads of state... who don't think this is the right person to lead reform in Europe." Mr Van Rumpuy has left the meeting to discuss when and how the vote could take place.
Mr Cameron wants EU leaders to be forced to vote to put on the record their support - or opposition - to the appointment of Mr Juncker. The British prime minister is believed to have told the EC president he would fight the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker "until the end".
"I'm going to do what I said I would do and oppose this process and oppose this person," he said. It follows Mr Cameron's insistence that if Mr Juncker's name is tabled at a Brussels summit on Friday, he would demand an "unprecedented" vote on his nomination.
"Other people will have to make up their mind whether to do what their heart and head tell them or not." He told reporters ahead of the meeting that he was not alone.
'Fresh' approach? 'Wake-up call'
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The prime minister will make clear that if the European Council seeks to proceed with the nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker, then the prime minister will expect there to be a vote on that." "I know there are many other heads of state and governments in Europe who don't like this process that has come about; who don't think that this is the right person to lead reform in Europe," he said.
She said the commission should be looking for "bright and fresh people" to steer EU reform, and confirmed that Mr Cameron had spoken to Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt about the decision of a number of Centre Left governments to back Mr Juncker. "I'm going to do what I said I would do and oppose this process and oppose this person.
She declined to say whether the two leaders had discussed other possible candidates, but insisted the recent European elections should have been "a wake up call" to the EU that it was time for reform and change. "Other people will have to make up their mind whether to do what their heart and head them or not."
Mr Cameron is thought to have told Mr Van Rompuy that last month's European election results - which saw Eurosceptic parties making gains across the continent - should have been a "wake-up call" to the EU that it was time for reform and change.
However, with the majority of EU leaders - including Germany's Angela Merkel - backing Mr Juncker's candidacy, Mr Cameron's bid is likely to end in failure.
The row over Mr Juncker hit the headlines a few weeks ago when Mr Cameron reportedly warned the UK could leave the EU if he became president of the European Commission - the body which drafts EU laws.The row over Mr Juncker hit the headlines a few weeks ago when Mr Cameron reportedly warned the UK could leave the EU if he became president of the European Commission - the body which drafts EU laws.
Mr Cameron wants a delay in the process in an effort to find a consensus candidate, but if his fellow 27 EU leaders are not even willing to consider alternatives to Mr Juncker, he will seek to call a vote and require them to set out their positions clearly.Mr Cameron wants a delay in the process in an effort to find a consensus candidate, but if his fellow 27 EU leaders are not even willing to consider alternatives to Mr Juncker, he will seek to call a vote and require them to set out their positions clearly.
'Credibility'
But UKIP leader Nigel Farage questioned why Mr Cameron had "gone headlong into a fight" over Mr Juncker that "he was always going to lose".But UKIP leader Nigel Farage questioned why Mr Cameron had "gone headlong into a fight" over Mr Juncker that "he was always going to lose".
"In terms of his own credibility with the British public, it makes his argument that he is going to get a better deal for Britain look very remote," he said."In terms of his own credibility with the British public, it makes his argument that he is going to get a better deal for Britain look very remote," he said.
Mixed messages? But Chancellor George Osborne has accused European leaders of "saying quite a lot of things privately that they are not saying publicly".
But Chancellor George Osborne said the prime minister was "arguing from a position of principle".
"It's not about Britain versus the rest," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "It is about us collectively making sure that when people from around the world are looking at where they are going to put their factories, where they are going to put their talented people, where they locate their business, they look to the EU and hopefully, within the EU, they look to Britain."
However, Mr Osborne said different messages were emerging from Europe with some people "saying quite a lot of things privately that they are not saying publicly".
"I think privately a lot of European governments understand that the institutions of Europe need reform, that they are under huge pressure from their domestic populations to deliver stronger economies, more investment to Europe, that Europe needs to better connect as a union to the people on this continent," he said."I think privately a lot of European governments understand that the institutions of Europe need reform, that they are under huge pressure from their domestic populations to deliver stronger economies, more investment to Europe, that Europe needs to better connect as a union to the people on this continent," he said.
"I think this is quite widely understood among the European governments. Whether that plays out in the European councils over the next few days, we will see.""I think this is quite widely understood among the European governments. Whether that plays out in the European councils over the next few days, we will see."
'Alternative names'
Mr Cameron, who wants to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership of the EU, wants a reformer to take charge, whereas Mr Juncker is seen by some as a politician with an instinct for ever-closer European integration.Mr Cameron, who wants to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership of the EU, wants a reformer to take charge, whereas Mr Juncker is seen by some as a politician with an instinct for ever-closer European integration.
The responsibility for proposing a new president lies with Mr Cameron's 27 fellow heads of government, in a grouping called the European Council.The responsibility for proposing a new president lies with Mr Cameron's 27 fellow heads of government, in a grouping called the European Council.
Jean-Claude Juncker: The numbers gameJean-Claude Juncker: The numbers game
But under new rules, they must now take into account the results of the recent European Parliament elections. The largest grouping after those elections was the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which had chosen Mr Juncker as their candidate for the post.But under new rules, they must now take into account the results of the recent European Parliament elections. The largest grouping after those elections was the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which had chosen Mr Juncker as their candidate for the post.
Both the Labour leader Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, have also said they do not want Mr Juncker to be the next leader of the commission.Both the Labour leader Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, have also said they do not want Mr Juncker to be the next leader of the commission.
But on Saturday, Mr Juncker received the backing of nine left-wing heads of government.But on Saturday, Mr Juncker received the backing of nine left-wing heads of government.
Speaking on their behalf, the President of France, Francois Hollande, said it was important to respect the spirit of the European parliament elections.Speaking on their behalf, the President of France, Francois Hollande, said it was important to respect the spirit of the European parliament elections.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has also backed Mr Juncker's bid and he also has support from other conservative leaders.Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has also backed Mr Juncker's bid and he also has support from other conservative leaders.
Mr Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013 and one of the architects of the euro.Mr Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013 and one of the architects of the euro.
He is a strong advocate of a European "solidarity" union - an EU that strives to raise living standards in its poorest regions and sectors.He is a strong advocate of a European "solidarity" union - an EU that strives to raise living standards in its poorest regions and sectors.
Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski said if the Conservatives had still been part of the EPP Mr Cameron could have made his anti-Juncker argument "when EPP chose its candidate and he may well have prevailed".Poland's foreign minister, Radek Sikorski said if the Conservatives had still been part of the EPP Mr Cameron could have made his anti-Juncker argument "when EPP chose its candidate and he may well have prevailed".
The Conservatives left the EPP in 2009, fulfilling a pledge Mr Cameron made during his 2005 Conservative leadership election. He said the EPP's federalist views were at odds with Tory views,The Conservatives left the EPP in 2009, fulfilling a pledge Mr Cameron made during his 2005 Conservative leadership election. He said the EPP's federalist views were at odds with Tory views,