The plushest of red carpets is being rolled out by the UK for Chancellor Merkel on 27th February – everything short of a full State Visit.
What does the UK want out of this visit and might it be given? The critical issue is “Treaty change”. Without this, Prime Minister Cameron’s entire political strategy of a 2017 referendum on EU membership would fall flat as there would not be a Treaty change to accept or reject – so no referendum!
Is Chancellor Merkel willing to contemplate Treaty change? The answer is: Yes. So 2 out of 28 EU leaders currently want “Treaty change”, but do they want the same thing? Chancellor Merkel is clear that she wants “contractual arrangements” and the UK could help…. Paradoxically, for the British people, the price of Cameron placating the euro-sceptics would be a UK vote to stay in the EU whilst, simultaneously, effectively leaving it.
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Graham Bishop - Consultant on EU Integration - Political, Financial, Economic, Budgetary
Rolling Blog
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