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Speaking in a BBC interview on the eve of his Conservative party's annual conference in Manchester, the UK prime minister said that the phrase was “not what the British people want and it's not what I want". Having promised to renegotiate Britain's EU terms if his party is elected in 2015, followed by an 'in/out' referendum planned for 2017, Cameron is expected to come under pressure for more details from his party this week. A majority of Conservative party members favour withdrawal from the EU, according to the ConservativeHome website.
Meanwhile, the eurosceptic lobby group, Business for Britain, said the UK should be able to reject EU laws unilaterally on the grounds that it had become increasingly isolated on issues such as financial services. “Britain’s declining influence in the EU institutions has seriously undermined our ability to prevent a huge rise in the number and cost of regulations sent from Brussels”, the group said, adding that “Cameron [should push] for a red card system for Member States". Chief executive Matthew Elliott said: “Britain has recently been left as the sole voice opposing pernicious EU financial regulation and absurd budget increases. This is why it’s more important than ever that the Government is able to get a better deal for Britain, including a veto that will stop bad EU laws holding back growth and jobs in this country.”
For his part, foreign secretary William Hague told party activists that EU leaders across the continent were also demanding repatriation of powers from Brussels. “People used to think there was only one destination – a federal Europe – and the only question was whether you got there in the fast lane or slow lane. Governments across Europe are talking about power coming back to the countries of Europe. That is something new”, he said.
Further reporting © Telegraph