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Cameron: 'Juncker odds stacked against me' Cameron: 'Juncker odds stacked against me'
(about 1 hour later)
David Cameron has said the "odds are stacked against me" in the battle to prevent Jean-Claude Juncker becoming the next European Commission president.David Cameron has said the "odds are stacked against me" in the battle to prevent Jean-Claude Juncker becoming the next European Commission president.
EU leaders are set to confirm their backing for the Luxembourg leader later despite opposition from the UK.EU leaders are set to confirm their backing for the Luxembourg leader later despite opposition from the UK.
Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels, Mr Cameron said Mr Juncker was the "wrong person" for the job because of his support for closer integration.Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels, Mr Cameron said Mr Juncker was the "wrong person" for the job because of his support for closer integration.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron faced "utter humiliation".But Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron faced "utter humiliation".
Mr Juncker has the support of most of the EU's 28 member states with even allies of Mr Cameron, such as Sweden and the Netherlands, saying they will not oppose his candidacy.Mr Juncker has the support of most of the EU's 28 member states with even allies of Mr Cameron, such as Sweden and the Netherlands, saying they will not oppose his candidacy.
'Wrong man''Wrong man'
Mr Juncker is the preferred candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), which won the most seats in last month's European elections, but Mr Cameron says it should be EU leaders not the Parliament who make the decision. Mr Juncker is the preferred candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), which won more seats than any other political group in last month's European elections, but Mr Cameron says it should be EU leaders not the Parliament who make the decision.
He had also argued that Mr Juncker's track record of supporting closer European integration meant he was not the right person to help Europe address its future economic and structural challenges.He had also argued that Mr Juncker's track record of supporting closer European integration meant he was not the right person to help Europe address its future economic and structural challenges.
"It's the wrong person," Mr Cameron said."It's the wrong person," Mr Cameron said.
"Jean-Claude Juncker has been at the heart of the project to increase the power of Brussels and reduce the power of nation states for his entire working life. He is not the right person to take this organisation forward.""Jean-Claude Juncker has been at the heart of the project to increase the power of Brussels and reduce the power of nation states for his entire working life. He is not the right person to take this organisation forward."
'Splendid isolation''Splendid isolation'
Asked whether he was likely to lose the argument, he replied: "I know the odds are stacked against me but that does not mean you change your mind.Asked whether he was likely to lose the argument, he replied: "I know the odds are stacked against me but that does not mean you change your mind.
"It means you stand up for what you believe, you stick to your principles and vote accordingly.""It means you stand up for what you believe, you stick to your principles and vote accordingly."
At a later media briefing, No 10 said if Mr Juncker was chosen, the UK would "respect that outcome and continue to work with everyone around the table to secure the changes which are important to Britain and to Europe".At a later media briefing, No 10 said if Mr Juncker was chosen, the UK would "respect that outcome and continue to work with everyone around the table to secure the changes which are important to Britain and to Europe".
The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said while Mr Cameron once thought he could assemble an anti-Juncker coalition, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was the only other leader likely to side with him in a vote later on Friday.The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said while Mr Cameron once thought he could assemble an anti-Juncker coalition, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was the only other leader likely to side with him in a vote later on Friday.
But by making a "heroic stand" on the issue, he said the prime minister was making it clear to the rest of Europe and his allies back home that he was serious about redefining the UK's relationship with Europe and he was "not going to go away".But by making a "heroic stand" on the issue, he said the prime minister was making it clear to the rest of Europe and his allies back home that he was serious about redefining the UK's relationship with Europe and he was "not going to go away".
'First skirmish''First skirmish'
Mr Cameron's stance has won him plaudits within his own party, which wants a referendum on the UK's future in Europe by 2017.Mr Cameron's stance has won him plaudits within his own party, which wants a referendum on the UK's future in Europe by 2017.
Former Cabinet minister John Redwood said it was not a worry if Mr Cameron was isolated as it was a "reminder" of the UK's fundamental differences with the rest of Europe.Former Cabinet minister John Redwood said it was not a worry if Mr Cameron was isolated as it was a "reminder" of the UK's fundamental differences with the rest of Europe.
"To those who say Mr Cameron should not have sought to block Mr Juncker because he could not win, I say you are wrong," he wrote on his blog."To those who say Mr Cameron should not have sought to block Mr Juncker because he could not win, I say you are wrong," he wrote on his blog.
"This episode has reminded all in the UK that the EU is not "coming our way"."This episode has reminded all in the UK that the EU is not "coming our way".
He added: "The battle over Mr Juncker was but the first skirmish in a long negotiation of a new relationship for the UK with the rest of the EU."He added: "The battle over Mr Juncker was but the first skirmish in a long negotiation of a new relationship for the UK with the rest of the EU."
The Labour Party shares Mr Cameron's concerns about Jean-Claude Juncker's candidacy but Ed Miliband said the prime minister had "burnt rather than built" the alliances necessary to produce a different outcome.The Labour Party shares Mr Cameron's concerns about Jean-Claude Juncker's candidacy but Ed Miliband said the prime minister had "burnt rather than built" the alliances necessary to produce a different outcome.
Speaking in Edinburgh, the Labour leader said that after Mr Cameron's "spin and bluster", Mr Juncker's nomination would represent a "total failure to deliver and utter humiliation" for him.Speaking in Edinburgh, the Labour leader said that after Mr Cameron's "spin and bluster", Mr Juncker's nomination would represent a "total failure to deliver and utter humiliation" for him.
'Telephone diplomacy''Telephone diplomacy'
Edward McMillan-Scott, a former Tory MEP who defected to the Lib Dems in 2010, said Mr Cameron's decision to pull the Conservatives out of the EPP, which includes Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats, in 2009 had rebounded on him.Edward McMillan-Scott, a former Tory MEP who defected to the Lib Dems in 2010, said Mr Cameron's decision to pull the Conservatives out of the EPP, which includes Germany's centre-right Christian Democrats, in 2009 had rebounded on him.
"David Cameron burnt his boats by leaving the mainstream Christian Democrat, conservative group in the European Parliament, the party of Angela Merkel," he told the BBC News Channel."David Cameron burnt his boats by leaving the mainstream Christian Democrat, conservative group in the European Parliament, the party of Angela Merkel," he told the BBC News Channel.
"The consequence is that he has no real friends. He is not part of any network in Europe any more. Therefore, it is all telephone diplomacy and it has not worked. We will see that later today.""The consequence is that he has no real friends. He is not part of any network in Europe any more. Therefore, it is all telephone diplomacy and it has not worked. We will see that later today."
In other political reaction, the SNP said "it could do business" with Mr Juncker if he got the post but the UK Independence Party dismissed him as a "federalist fanatic". In other political reaction, the SNP said "it could do business" with Mr Juncker if he got the post but the UK Independence Party said the expected outcome would represent "game, set and match to Brussels".
"The nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker shows that David Cameron's proffered ambition of renegotiation and reform are null and void, clearly dead in the water," said UKIP MEP David Coburn. UKIP's leader Nigel Farage said: "David Cameron's judgement has been totally flawed.
"He has picked completely the wrong battle. What he should have done is pick a fight on policy and he has not done that."
Britain's influence in Brussels, he added, "was weaker now than at any point in the last 40 years".
Asked whether defeat for Mr Cameron could make a British exit from the EU more likely, as some have suggested, Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said: "I think David Cameron is a very principled man and he has felt strongly that Juncker is a little bit too federalist for his liking, but I think we can all make amends, we can all solve the situation."Asked whether defeat for Mr Cameron could make a British exit from the EU more likely, as some have suggested, Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said: "I think David Cameron is a very principled man and he has felt strongly that Juncker is a little bit too federalist for his liking, but I think we can all make amends, we can all solve the situation."