12.12.11
Cameron to explain veto to MPs
Prime Minister David Cameron will face MPs in the Commons today to explain his decision to veto the EU treaty set to address the Eurozone crisis and implement stricter budget rules.
Cameron has defended his decision in the media, stating that it was in Britain’s best interests to refuse to join in. He has said it will protect the City of London from excessive intervention by Europe, but others fear it will isolate the UK from the rest of the EU.
The other 26 member states are now expected to agree to a new ‘accord’, aiming to prevent a repeat of the Eurozone crisis.
After originally suggesting that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg supported Cameron’s decision to use the veto, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the move on Sunday, labelling it “bad for Britain”.
Clegg told the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme: “I’m bitterly disappointed by the outcome of last week’s summit, precisely because I think now there is a danger that the UK will be isolated and marginalised within the European Union.
“I don’t think that’s good for jobs, in the City or elsewhere, I don’t think it’s good for growth or for families up and down the country.”
Labour leader Ed Miliband has called on Cameron to use his statement to explain his decision, labeling the perceived threat as a “phantom”.
He said: “He did this because the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party has effectively taken over and that isn’t good for the national interest.”
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