George Osborne has issued an ultimatum to the European Union, saying it “must change” in order to avoid a British exit.
George Osborne, the Chancellor, has issued a threat to the European Union
The Chancellor made the threat despite saying that he still wants Britain to
remain a member of the EU.
David Cameron is preparing to give a major speech about Britain’s future in
Europe, which could pave the way for a referendum on EU membership.
Some Conservatives say Britain should leave the EU if other members do not
agree to much looser membership.
Mr Osborne issued his warning to EU members in an interview with the German
Die Welt newspaper published today.
“I very much hope that Britain remains a member of the EU,” the Chancellor
said. “But in order that we can remain in the European Union, the EU must
change.”
Mr Osborne declined to say in the interview whether or not the British
government is planning a referendum.
Ms Osborne’s interview came to light only a day after a senior German official warned Mr Cameron not to blackmail the EU.
Gunther Kirchbaum, a politician close to German chancellor Angela Merkel said that Britain "cannot create a political future” if it is “blackmailing other states”.
“David Cameron has said recently that a new consensus is necessary for our relations with Europe,” Mr Osborne is reported to have told the newspaper, adding that the British people are currently “very disappointed” with the EU.
The Chancellor insisted that he wants Britain to remain “an active part of a reformed EU”.
A Treasury aide insisted that Mr Osborne’s comments were fully consistent with the Government's position that the EU needs to change "and indeed is changing".
Douglas Alexander, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, said Mr Osborne’s comments were designed to appease Conservative backbenchers.
“George Osborne may have been talking to a German newspaper but his real audience were Conservative backbenchers,” Mr Alexander said.
“No wonder only this week Britain’s allies and British business leaders warned the Government about the risk of sleepwalking to exit.”
Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, has used a speech to describe the ongoing questions about Britain’s membership of the EU as a “massive disruption”.
He said it was “deeply unhelpful” and welcomed the intervention by Philip Gordon, the US assistant secretary responsible for European affairs, who expressed concern about the consequences of Britain leaving the EU.
“I have to spend my time talking to business people, British and international, trying to have the confidence to invest here and create employment and the recent uncertainly is just deeply uncomfortable for the country,” Mr Cable said.
“I think the warning shot across the bows yesterday from the United States was actually quite helpful as well as very timely.”
Nick Clegg this week said the Prime Minister is risking the “livelihood and safety” of millions of British people by raising questions about Britain’s EU membership.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that “playing politics” with EU membership could jeopardise British jobs and hamper international police operations.
“When you have one in ten jobs in this country, 3 million people, whose jobs are dependent on our position as a leading member of the world’s biggest borderless single market, you play with that status at your peril – these are jobs at stake, livelihoods,” he said.
Werner Faymann, the chancellor of Austria, said he has a “hard time” dealing with Mr Cameron and accused him of being untrustworthy.
“Why I have a hard time with David Cameron, also in a personal relationship and when it comes to trust, [is] because I get the feeling with him that ... he speaks differently in his own country than he does in the European Council," Mr Faymann was reported to have said in newspaper Der Standard.
Mr Cameron’s approach is being resisted by Angela Merkel of Germany.
Mrs Merkel has told the Prime Minister she has no intention of opening an EU treaty negotiation in order to provide a new settlement that can be put to a referendum in Britain, The Daily Telegraph understands.
Ms Osborne’s interview came to light only a day after a senior German official warned Mr Cameron not to blackmail the EU.
Gunther Kirchbaum, a politician close to German chancellor Angela Merkel said that Britain "cannot create a political future” if it is “blackmailing other states”.
“David Cameron has said recently that a new consensus is necessary for our relations with Europe,” Mr Osborne is reported to have told the newspaper, adding that the British people are currently “very disappointed” with the EU.
The Chancellor insisted that he wants Britain to remain “an active part of a reformed EU”.
A Treasury aide insisted that Mr Osborne’s comments were fully consistent with the Government's position that the EU needs to change "and indeed is changing".
Douglas Alexander, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, said Mr Osborne’s comments were designed to appease Conservative backbenchers.
“George Osborne may have been talking to a German newspaper but his real audience were Conservative backbenchers,” Mr Alexander said.
“No wonder only this week Britain’s allies and British business leaders warned the Government about the risk of sleepwalking to exit.”
Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, has used a speech to describe the ongoing questions about Britain’s membership of the EU as a “massive disruption”.
He said it was “deeply unhelpful” and welcomed the intervention by Philip Gordon, the US assistant secretary responsible for European affairs, who expressed concern about the consequences of Britain leaving the EU.
“I have to spend my time talking to business people, British and international, trying to have the confidence to invest here and create employment and the recent uncertainly is just deeply uncomfortable for the country,” Mr Cable said.
“I think the warning shot across the bows yesterday from the United States was actually quite helpful as well as very timely.”
Nick Clegg this week said the Prime Minister is risking the “livelihood and safety” of millions of British people by raising questions about Britain’s EU membership.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that “playing politics” with EU membership could jeopardise British jobs and hamper international police operations.
“When you have one in ten jobs in this country, 3 million people, whose jobs are dependent on our position as a leading member of the world’s biggest borderless single market, you play with that status at your peril – these are jobs at stake, livelihoods,” he said.
Werner Faymann, the chancellor of Austria, said he has a “hard time” dealing with Mr Cameron and accused him of being untrustworthy.
“Why I have a hard time with David Cameron, also in a personal relationship and when it comes to trust, [is] because I get the feeling with him that ... he speaks differently in his own country than he does in the European Council," Mr Faymann was reported to have said in newspaper Der Standard.
Mr Cameron’s approach is being resisted by Angela Merkel of Germany.
Mrs Merkel has told the Prime Minister she has no intention of opening an EU treaty negotiation in order to provide a new settlement that can be put to a referendum in Britain, The Daily Telegraph understands.
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