Cameron’s EU renegotiations: A war of wills and words

As the war of wills between the House of Commons and House of Lords over whether 16 and 17 year olds comes to an end, with the Commons winning and teenagers losing, attention can finally turn elsewhere. Prime Minister David Cameron's plans to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the European Union will come under intense scrutiny at Thursday's European Council meeting. Cameron hopes to convince other EU leaders to sign up to his reform agenda, paving the way for a formal deal in February and a possible referendum date in the late summer/early autumn. Pro-Europeans have asked whether a vote at the end of a summer of stories and images of asylum seekers and refugees travelling across Europe is the wisest timing. 

According to reports, at the meeting Cameron will look to secure a two hour debate to illustrate to European leaders how much support there is across the chamber for his plans for reform, following “significant progress” in proposals according to European Union President Donald Tusk. Tusk has acknowledged that leaders are “far from agreement on several topics”, most likely to be the most controversial of issues; tax credits for EU migrant workers and the freedom of movement within the EU. 

Former Prime Minister John Major has suggested Cameron should not be too aggressive at the upcoming summit and warned against “flirting with leaving at a time when the world is coming together seems to me is very dangerous and against our national interest”. 

Elsewhere the war of words between Vote Leave and the CBI has intensified, after newly appointed director-general Carolyn Fairbairn called on Vote Leave to explain "what... an alternative to EU membership would look like, and how this alternative would safeguard future UK growth and prosperity" as part of a letter to the group. 

Cameron and Major will be buoyed by recent polling which indicates a majority – 56 per cent to 35 per cent – in favour of staying in Europe under the existing rules, whilst a completely successful renegotiation of the rules would bolster that support to 65 per cent against 26 per cent. However, with research produced by Chatham House suggesting at least 31 per cent of voters could be willing to switch their vote dependent on the outcome of the renegotiation, the Prime Minister will doubtless be feeling he still has everything to play for.