British Prime Minister David Cameron has laid out new conditions for his country to remain in the European Union. Ahead of the historic EU referendum scheduled to take place in 2017, Prime Minister is trying to renegotiate UK’s relationship with EU. If the bid fails, it may eventually lead to British exit from the European Union or Brexit.
European Commission reacted promptly to British Prime Minister’s new demands calling some of them “highly problematic.”
The New York Times reports:
After days of conflicting signals about his attitude toward the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday formally outlined his approach to negotiations with other member countries ahead of a crucial referendum that will determine whether Britain stays in the 28-nation bloc.His demands included a safeguard to prevent countries that use the euro from discriminating economically against Britain, which has retained the pound; a stronger role for national parliaments in European Union decision-making; and an end to Britain’s legal commitment, as a signatory to European Union treaties, to pursue “ever closer union,” which conservatives see as a threat to national sovereignty.
Prime Minister Cameron also demanded the right to curtail the welfare entitlements for new migrants arriving from the rest of Europe to his country– a move that would violate European Commission regulations deeming all citizens of the member countries eligible for social benefits within EU territory.
Berlin and Brussels’ open border policy has tilted the British public opinion against a closer union with the continental Europe. Many in Britain fear that their generous welfare system could attract economic migrant like the ones presently swarming through Europe unsecured borders.
What could be seen as a swipe at German Chancellor Merkel’s generous position on mass migration, Prime Minister Cameron said Britain would to make decisions “with its head, not its heart.”
European project that started as a harmless idea of a common market has over time morphed into an ever controlling and self-serving bureaucracy. This bureaucracy perpetuates itself by tightening regulatory controls on every possible area of trade, industry and social life.
In recent years, Brussels has been particularly hostile towards London’s financial sector. According to a recent poll conducted amongst London bankers and finance workers, more than 40 percent believed that “European Commission is hostile towards City [London’s financial district] interests” – with only 16 percent judging EU’s role favourably.
The European project of ever closer union of nation states that revealed some serious cracks during the Greek financial meltdown earlier this year, is now falling apart in the wake of the migrant crisis. Countries of Eastern Europe are up in arms against EU’s proposal to thrust more migrants on them — against the wishes of elected governments and popular opinion. The opposition to EU is not just limited to Eastern Europe, it has now reached the ‘EU-heartland.’ Leading British commentator Douglas Murray writes, “Even in the heart of the EU — in the countries that seem to have the institution in their bloodstream — opposition to the whole enterprise is growing”.
UK Independence Party (UKIP) that emerged in mid-90s as a grassroots reaction to EU’s dictates has turned into an established political rival to Prime Minister Cameron’s Conservative Party. The dissatisfaction with EU’s high-handed approach is rising within the ranks of Prime Minister Cameron’s own party as well. Conservative MP Bill Cash called “an increasingly assertive German Europe [being] at odds with British national interests.”
Prime Minister Cameron, an astute politician, is realigning his position sensing the mood on the street.
Daniel Hannan (Member of the European Parliament) on the cost of EU bureaucracy to British taxpayers:
(Cover image courtesy Bloomberg Business, YouTube screenshot )
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