Cameron has fulfilled his pledge to create a new anti-federalist group in the EU, it's called the "European Conservatives and Reformists group". Much will be made of the members that make up this bloc, other parties are calling them homophobic, anti-German etc. Yet the EU has become like an "Eurovision Political Contest". All groups have questionable MEPs, so I wouldn't take issue with that, unless they were really crazy or hateful by EU standards. What I would take issue with is the politics.
The group the Tories left was the EEP, it has members from Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi political parties. This is where the main problem lies, not only as he snubbed them, he has removed himself from the group with the biggest influence in the EU. The gamble he's making is that his group gains momentum and influence. Otherwise they'll be left looking like a nutty fringe group that the EU leaders just dismiss at best, at worst he makes Britain that nutty fringe group.
Which is a big risk, one of the most important aspects to the EU is successfully promoting British interests, whether we like it or not globalisation isn't just going to stop and retract. It's better to put ourself in a strong position and gain from it. Yet what he's doing in some respects does make sense in Britain, having a reform opposition within the EU is a good idea, as rather than reducing the argument to 'pro' or 'anti' EU it's a middle ground. Given that anti EU sentiment won't be drawing back any time soon either, he may of found a compromise, if he pulls it off in both Britain and the EU. Though that's a big "if".
The group the Tories left was the EEP, it has members from Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy and Silvio Berlusconi political parties. This is where the main problem lies, not only as he snubbed them, he has removed himself from the group with the biggest influence in the EU. The gamble he's making is that his group gains momentum and influence. Otherwise they'll be left looking like a nutty fringe group that the EU leaders just dismiss at best, at worst he makes Britain that nutty fringe group.
Which is a big risk, one of the most important aspects to the EU is successfully promoting British interests, whether we like it or not globalisation isn't just going to stop and retract. It's better to put ourself in a strong position and gain from it. Yet what he's doing in some respects does make sense in Britain, having a reform opposition within the EU is a good idea, as rather than reducing the argument to 'pro' or 'anti' EU it's a middle ground. Given that anti EU sentiment won't be drawing back any time soon either, he may of found a compromise, if he pulls it off in both Britain and the EU. Though that's a big "if".
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