Cameron Euro Treaty Veto Pleases Tory Eurosceptics But Leaves Britain Isolated In EU

http://news.sky.com/home/politics/article/16126773

There is no doubt that the Prime Minister's decision to veto the recent EU Treaty will have greatly pleased the Eurosceptic wing of the Tory Party.

Although very much in favour of maintaining Britain's trading links within the EU, I have long had my doubts about European nations being too tightly bound together economically or politically.

And this has now been bourne out by the current crisis in the Eurozone.

I don't often find my self agreeing with Tory commentator Iain Dale, but in a recent interview he recalled how former PM John Major branded the Eurosceptic Tory wing as 'little Englanders' for not wanting to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. They have turned out to be so right on this issue.

Thank goodness Gordon Brown had the sense not to bring Britain into the Eurozone during Labour's time in office. This was despite Tony Blair's enthusiasm for the project.

There were many aspects of the recent Treaty that I was extremely uneasy with. Most notably, the proposal that the budgets of individual member states should be ratified by the EU, so enthusiastically supported by Merkel and Sarkosy.

This was clearly a step too far and would have undermined the sovereignty of each nation beyond measure.

The decision to join the EU in 1975 was a controversial one and the calls for Britain to hold a referendum on whether we should stay in Europe are growing. Many are now suggesting that should Ed Miliband throw his and Labour's support behind holding a referendum on this issue, his popularity would increase overnight.http://labourlist.org/2011/12/the-time-is-right-for-a-referendum/?utm_source=LunchtimeList&utm_campaign=cf1717ac0d-LunchtimeList_72311_22_2011&utm_medium=email

The bottom line is that most Britons have never wanted and do not want a United States of Europe. From this point of view, Cameron was right to use his veto. And the timing of the recent Summit has meant that the Prime Minister is ending 2011 on a high, with his personal ratings well above those of both Ed Miliband,  Nick Clegg and even his own party.http://news.yahoo.com/cameron-ends-tough-poll-high-190450898.html

However my worry is, that by closing the door so firmly at this stage, Britain's negotiating power within the EU has now been severely weakened.