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EU leaders offer Cameron hope after Juncker vote defeat | EU leaders offer Cameron hope after Juncker vote defeat |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The leaders of Sweden and Germany have offered encouragement to David Cameron after his defeat in a vote on the new European Commission president. | The leaders of Sweden and Germany have offered encouragement to David Cameron after his defeat in a vote on the new European Commission president. |
Britain forced a vote to block the selection of Jean-Claude Juncker, seen as a backer of closer political union, but EU states voted 26-2 in his favour. | Britain forced a vote to block the selection of Jean-Claude Juncker, seen as a backer of closer political union, but EU states voted 26-2 in his favour. |
Sweden backed Mr Juncker but after the vote PM Fredrik Reinfeldt said he knew closer union was not "for everyone". | Sweden backed Mr Juncker but after the vote PM Fredrik Reinfeldt said he knew closer union was not "for everyone". |
Germany's Angela Merkel said she was "ready to address British concerns". | Germany's Angela Merkel said she was "ready to address British concerns". |
Labour said the result of Friday's vote was "humiliating" for the UK prime minister, but Mr Cameron said it was not his "last stand". | |
He said he would not "back down" in his fight to reform the EU and take powers back from Brussels, something he plans to do before holding a referendum on Britain's EU membership after the next general election. | He said he would not "back down" in his fight to reform the EU and take powers back from Brussels, something he plans to do before holding a referendum on Britain's EU membership after the next general election. |
But speaking about the vote, he said: "This is a bad day for Europe. | But speaking about the vote, he said: "This is a bad day for Europe. |
"It risks undermining the position of national governments, it risks undermining the power of national parliaments and it hands new power to the European Parliament." | "It risks undermining the position of national governments, it risks undermining the power of national parliaments and it hands new power to the European Parliament." |
Mr Reinfeldt pointed to a document issued by EU leaders after the vote which accepted that the idea of an ever-closer union should not apply to all member states. | |
"Just look into what we have written in our conclusions," he said. | "Just look into what we have written in our conclusions," he said. |
"You will find references with text, which I think is very important for David Cameron, saying this ever-closer union perception is maybe not the best for everyone." | "You will find references with text, which I think is very important for David Cameron, saying this ever-closer union perception is maybe not the best for everyone." |
He said that point had "never been stated" by the EU before. | He said that point had "never been stated" by the EU before. |
Germany also supported Mr Juncker's appointment, but after the vote Chancellor Merkel said there would be a review of how the president was nominated and said she shared Britain's ideas about what the EU should be like. | |
Mr Juncker was the preferred candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, and his appointment must now be endorsed by the parliament. | Mr Juncker was the preferred candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, and his appointment must now be endorsed by the parliament. |
The appointment of European Commission president has previously been done by consensus but Mr Cameron opposed the choice and his demand for a vote was granted. | The appointment of European Commission president has previously been done by consensus but Mr Cameron opposed the choice and his demand for a vote was granted. |
He tried to convince other countries to oppose Mr Juncker, a former leader of Luxembourg, but in the end only the UK and Hungary did so. | He tried to convince other countries to oppose Mr Juncker, a former leader of Luxembourg, but in the end only the UK and Hungary did so. |
Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron's advocacy had become "toxic" and Friday's events showed the prime minister could not "represent our interests in Europe". | Labour leader Ed Miliband said Mr Cameron's advocacy had become "toxic" and Friday's events showed the prime minister could not "represent our interests in Europe". |
'Swiss-type deal' | 'Swiss-type deal' |
Former UK foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said EU countries would not want Britain to leave so the "basis of a successful renegotiation" would be for Mr Cameron to put forward "proposals that can be conceded for the UK without doing fundamental damage to other EU countries". | |
But Eurosceptic Conservative MP Peter Bone said David Cameron had "no chance" of a successful renegotiation and predicted the prime minister would lead the campaign for Britain to leave the EU. | But Eurosceptic Conservative MP Peter Bone said David Cameron had "no chance" of a successful renegotiation and predicted the prime minister would lead the campaign for Britain to leave the EU. |
Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, also a Eurosceptic, said he might support Britain having a "Swiss-type deal where we are only in the free market and we are outside everything else". | Tory MEP Daniel Hannan, also a Eurosceptic, said he might support Britain having a "Swiss-type deal where we are only in the free market and we are outside everything else". |
Lord Hannay - who was involved in discussions that led to British entry to the EU more than 40 years ago - said Mr Juncker could be "very effective" in his new role. | Lord Hannay - who was involved in discussions that led to British entry to the EU more than 40 years ago - said Mr Juncker could be "very effective" in his new role. |
He said Mr Juncker was used to working in coalitions in Luxembourg and he was "good at working for the common good". | He said Mr Juncker was used to working in coalitions in Luxembourg and he was "good at working for the common good". |
"And that, I hope, will mean the common good that includes Britain in Europe," he said. | "And that, I hope, will mean the common good that includes Britain in Europe," he said. |