Chancellor George Osborne has insisted the UK will pursue its "national interest" in Europe despite German warnings about its future in the EU.
Mr Osborne said the British people wanted concerns about EU immigration and access to benefits addressed.
The German government has insisted the right of EU nationals to live and work in other member states is sacrosanct.
Angela Merkel has reportedly said she fears for the UK's future in Europe amid its calls for more migrant curbs.
The BBC's Europe Editor Gavin Hewitt said the German chancellor wanted the UK to stay in.
But he said an article in Der Spiegel news magazine, which quoted German government sources as saying she feared the UK was near a "point of no return", signalled Berlin's view that British calls for curbs on the free movement of people was a "red line" that could not be crossed.
 |
| CLICK CHART to ENLARGE |
'No return'
David Cameron wants to renegotiate the terms of the UK's continued membership before holding an in-out referendum, if he remains in power after next year's general election.
The prime minister, who is expected to set out his next steps on immigration before Christmas, has insisted freedom of movement of workers would be "at the very heart" of his renegotiation strategy.Read the rest of the story HERE and view a related video below:
If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either here or here. Please follow us on Twitter here.
1 comment:
Whilst an EU member, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that a country can do with regard to borderless 'nations' and the free movement of peoples from one Eu country to another. It is a fundamental principle of the European Union, enshrined in the original Treaty of Rome. It's part of the club's rules. To change it, it would require treaty change with ALL 29 countries agreeing. And given many have said free movement is a positive, the chances of that happening are frankly zip. Add to that the current EU president saying free movement isn't on the table in the slightest in the renegotiations, plus consider the east European countries that benefit form remittances from free movement of some of their people to richer countries, sending money back home- as if they will say yes to ceasing free movement (recall, all 29 nations must say yes).
Just like his EU budget 'deal' the other day (which is essentially the UK getting their rebate early), Osborne and the Conservatives are all smoke & mirrors. They want to fudge a renegotiation, spin it to something it isn't (case in point, the budget 'deal' the other day), so the UK people will vote in a referendum to say in. Recall, they are partaking in renegotiations on the basic they want to stay in the democracy stifling, unelected EU club.
The sole, single reason why they are acting as they are is they are bleeding votes to UKIP- a genuine out-of-the-EU party. 4 years ago, when UKIP were polling 3%, you heard nothing of the sort of stuff the conservatives are preaching now. Essentially, no one believes a word they said.
UKIP are completely changing and dictating the political issues and discourse and the establishment parties are chasing their tails.
Post a Comment