The Tories and the EPP

David Cameron has made few concrete pledges since he became Conservative leader. But there is one issue upon which he has been firm – his decision to pull his party out of the European People's Party-European Democrats (EPP-ED) grouping in the European Parliament.

This decision breaks a Tory manifesto pledge. It would damage UK interests in Europe. It panders to the extreme anti-Europeans in the Tory party and it shows the Tories lurching to the right, not returning to the centre.

“I believe in consistent politics, I believe you must say the same thing whether you are in London or Brussels or Strasbourg”. (Cameron acceptance speech, 06/12/05)

“And what I've said very clearly is that we will leave the EPP.  We will form a new group.. It will happen.  It is a matter of, it is a matter of months not years and it will be done.” (David Cameron, The Today programme, 09/12/05)

“We want to create a new grouping of parties that take what we would call a more progressive approach to the European Union and who do not see it as an ever more centralised block which is what it currently is. … we think the right thing to do is form a new grouping which will be very formidable .” (Francis Maude, Epolitix, 13/04/06)

Britain's national interest

The EPP-ED is the largest grouping in the European Parliament, with members representing all 25 member states. The Tories hold key positions on European Parliament committees because of their associate membership of the EPP-ED. They would lose those positions if Cameron pulls the party out – so Britain would lose too.

“It would be a gross error of judgment and leadership to leave the mainstream groupings in Europe, because that would marginalise a party in Europe—and if the Conservative party were ever to be the Government, that would marginalise the Government. If one wants any proof of that, one can see that the Conservative party website boasts about the role played by one of its members in the services directorate as a spokesman for the European People's Party, although the party now wants to leave that group.” (PM, PMQs, 09/06/06)

• Edward McMillan Scott: Vice-President of the European Parliament and Member of the European Parliament's Bureau
• Struan Stevenson : Vice-President of the EPP-ED Group
• Giles Chichester: Chair of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee
• Geoffrey van Orden : Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
• John Purvis : Vice-Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee
• Charles Tannock: Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights temporary Committee
• Neil Parish: Chairman of the delegation for relations with Australia and New Zealand
• Jonathan Evans: Chair of the delegation for relations with the USA
• John Bowis: Vice-Chairman of the delegation for joint parliamentary assembly with the African, Caribbean and Pacific nations
• Malcolm Harbour: shadow rapporteur on the Services Directive

International Condemnation of Cameron and the EPP

 International leaders including Merkel and Sarkozy have said that they will not work with David Cameron if he pulls the Tories out of EPP. His policy has even been condemned by Senetar John McCain.

"[The Tories could not be as powerful without the EPP] That's what I told David Cameron, the leader of the Tories, who is contemplating leaving us,..I hope that it will make him think again." (Hans-Gert Pöttering, translation of Le Monde, 23/02/06)

 "The eleven leaders of government present decided to discontinue working bilaterally with Mr Cameron if he imposed the secession of his elected members from the group. (Wilfried Martens, the president of the EPP, translation of Le Monde, 23/02/06 )

"Mr Hague new allies would not have a decent reputation." Alain Lamassoure MEP, national secretary of the UMP for European Affairs, [equivalent to shadow cabinet minister] translation of Le Monde, 23/02/06 )

 "You are a weak man," (Nicholas Sarkozy, quoted on Guardian Online, 02/02/06)

"It would be a political mistake. You are either in one of the two biggest groups or out in the cold." (Inigo Mendez de Vigo, a senior MEP from Spain's Partido Popular, FT, 0812/05)

“A letter from an opposition member of the British Parliament suggesting the Conservatives should leave the European People's Party and European Democrats Group in the European parliament, which I believe would not be good for your country. My main concern, however, is that it would not be good for my country either. As a new member state we need strong champions working with us in a real position to influence the European Union reform agenda.”

(Jerzy Buzek MEP, (Former Prime Minister of Poland, 1997-2001), FT, 07/01/06)

 “By leading EPP-ED Group policy in these areas [energy, industry, democracy], these British MEPs have been able to affect EU policy as a whole. I am proud to work with them and other colleagues.”

(Jerzy Buzek MEP, (Former Prime Minister of Poland, 1997-2001), FT, 07/01/06)

"I look forward to good and intensive cooperation with you, and in particular within the framework of the EPP-ED as a clear base for our partnership and bilateral dialogue. …. In the EU we can work together on our common internists and convictions to safeguard individual freedoms, the regulation of the common market, as well as a strong transatlantic co-operation". ( Letter from Angela Merkel to David Cameron quoted on BBC News Online, 15/12/05)

"I would hope they would appreciate the support they received from the EPP when they were wandering in the wilderness." (Senetar John McCain, FT, 03/06/06)

Condemnation from within his own party

Cameron's only clear policy decision is now getting him criticism from both sides

- those who want him to stop stalling and leave the EPP:

"If David Cameron didn't deliver on the only policy commitment he can do while still in opposition why should anyone believe he will deliver on promises if elected as the cabinet leader?… It is a much bigger issue than where we sit in the European Parliament. It is a test of Mr Cameron's credibility " (Daniel Hannan MEP, EU OBSERVER, Brussels 07/06/06)

- and those who don't want to leave:

"These are the MEPs whom no other group will tolerate, and include people like Jean-Marie Le Pen, Alessandra Mussolini and Robert Kilroy-Silk.” ( Struan Stevenson MEP , The Herald, 21/11/05)

"We would have to sit round the table on a weekly basis with these fascists and nutters that nobody else will sit with. I tell you now that I refuse to do that. I don't care who's ordering me to do that. I won't come back and stand for election as a Conservative in Scotland when I'm sitting in a group with Le Pen. I'm sorry, but I'm just not prepared to do it." (Struan Stevenson MEP, The Sunday Herald, 11/12/05)

“Well it would mean breaking with the key mainstream centre-right parties across Europe, the Gaullists, the CDU, the CSU, Forza Italia, ..the Spanish Conservatives” ( Edward Macmillan Scott, Newsnight, 31/01/06)

“You can't move to the centre ground at home and move to the extreme right abroad. That just doesn't make sense at all…” ( Edward Macmillan Scott, Newsnight, 31/01/06)

“I negotiated an agreement with William Hague when he was leader in 1999 that we would remain associate members of the EPP. The alternatives are frankly barking.” (Edward McMillan-Scott, Daily Mail, 09/12/05)

“I can't believe that a leader of the Conservative Party would seriously contemplate breaking the last remaining international link that the party enjoys.” ( Edward McMillan-Scott Tory MEP, Daily Mail, 09/12/05)

“Some of our really hardline people apparently have persuaded him that he must break ranks and leave all these Christian Democrats and Scandinavian conservatives and Gaullists and people and start waltzing off, looking for allies amongst the ultra-nationalist right in central Europe. … I really think what a pity to insist on finding some new, slightly head-banging European politic…eurosceptic position to take up as his first act in the leadership.” (Ken Clarke, Politics show, 11/12/05)

“ There have been suggestions that we should form a new Atlanticist, free trade group of European Conservative Parties, committed to the independent Nation State. Sadly, this is cloud-cuckoo land , … We would, therefore, find ourselves in the company of The League of Polish Families (racist and Europhobic), the Danish People's Party (Iain Duncan Smith banned us from even talking to them!) the Italian Fascist Party, and of course UKIP. This is a pretty unappealing ragbag of fringe politicians ... As William Hague put it in 1999, when he confirmed our associate membership of the EPP-ED Parliamentary Group - “I simply cannot afford to have my political opponents in the House of Commons suggesting that I am isolated from the mainstream Conservative parties on the continent of Europe.” (Sir Robert Atkins, MEP, Deputy Leader of Conservatives, Letter to Conservative members, 19/10/05)

“Well I think that's wrong [Leaving the EPP]. He knows it and I've told him and indeed I've made it clear that I will say so if it happens because…it hasn't happened and I hope it doesn't happen” (Michael Heseltine, Today Programme, 06/03/06)

“The reality of politics today for any government is that you have to get on with your European colleagues. There is a team there, they are important to you, they are making decisions, you're either on the team or you're not and if you're not on the team you're selling out British interests and David Cameron would never do that. So in reality the new Conservative government when it's formed will do what every Conservative government has done since the 1960s and that is to pursue a broadly pro-European policy.” (Michael Heseltine, Today Programme, 06/03/06)

“I know that David Cameron said that he wants to pull out of the European People's Party but I hope that that proves very difficult and we do realise that we've got to work as allies if we want Europe to change. There are a lot of problems with the European Union and if we want that European Union to change then we have to work with our close allies in the European People's Party.” (Ian Taylor MP, Week in Westminster, 04/03/06)

“Part of the credibility of becoming the next Prime Minister is to work very closely both with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and possibly the next French president Nicolas Sarkozy - we just have to wait and see - but both of them are urging us to stay in partnership with them in years ahead so let's see what happens.” (Ian Taylor MP, Week in Westminster, 04/03/06)

“To gain support from those who might otherwise have voted for David Davis, he undertook to remove the Conservative MEPs from their alliance with the "federalist" centre-right European People's party group.” (Caroline Jackson MEP, The Guardian, 02/03/06)

”This commitment is now haunting him. It suggests that in European policy, far from being a moderniser, Cameron is prepared to go back 50 years to a time when this country was just a spectator and not a participant in shaping the future of Europe.” (Caroline Jackson MEP, The Guardian, 02/03/06)

“William Hague is visiting some strange places as he tours Europe to find someone to help form an alternative party grouping that will conform to the European parliament's rules. A minimum of 19 members is required from at least five countries. The main candidates are the Polish Law and Justice party (PiS) and the Czech ODS party. Unfortunate acronyms apart, even these are problematic. The PiS is opposed to CAP reform and the ODS can't decide this side of their election later this year. Neither party can be counted on not to join up with the EPP in due course, leaving the Conservatives in the lurch.” (Caroline Jackson MEP, The Guardian, 02/03/06)

“He has met Hans Blokland, the sole MEP from the fundamentalist Christen Unie, who advised him to stick with the EPP, and Kathy Sinnott, a solitary Irish independent.” (Caroline Jackson MEP, The Guardian, 02/03/06)

“I don't think he [David Cameron] was terribly well advised on this [EPP membership]. I think he was sold a pup. He was given the impression by some members of the European parliament – to borrow a phrase from Hollywood, the usual suspects – that there was a group desperate to form new groups outside the EPP. That has truned into the pursuit of fool's gold…I think this igoing to be a voyage of discovery. The best thing that people like me can say is as little as possible” (Chris Pattern, Western Mail, 21/03/06) 

"I would strongly advise him not to force the issue..He made some commitments during his leadership bid and I think they weren't terribly well thought through," (Chris Patten, BBC news24, 08/09/06)

"He did it to encourage some of the Eurosceptics to vote for him which I don't think was necessary. The problem is that I think those who advised him to do this hadn't thought through the consequences." (Chris Patten, BBC news24, 08/09/06)

It was not the time to be finding "new custard pies" to throw at the EU, he said. (Chris Patten, BBC news24, 08/09/06)

[the pull-out risked making the Tories look like] "dishonest double-glazing merchants". (Quentin Davies MP, PA, 08/05/06)

[The only alternative was joining with] "a very motley collection of right-wing parties" [whose only common factor was that no-one else would sit with them] (Quentin Davies MP, PA, 08/05/06)

Condemned by UKIP

 “While I don't want Britain to be in the EU - and believe that one day we won't - if the Conservatives were to form the next government they would probably serve the national interest better by being part of the family of European governments rather than being on the fringes. If we are going to stay in the EU it would be better to have a government that was in negotiations with other governments in Europe rather than one that has distinctly frosty relations.” (Nigel Farage UKIP MEP, Guardian unlimited, 02/02/05)

“In the EPP they are banded together with other parties of government. If they leave the EPP and form their own group they will have to form a group with parties whose political culture will provide a huge embarrassment to David Cameron back home. Poland's Law and Justice Party's stance on abortion and homosexuality will provide Mr Cameron with the hugest embarrassments back home.” (Nigel Farage UKIP MEP, Guardian unlimited, 02/02/05)

In fact the only people supporting Cameron's proposals are Tory members who want to withdraw from the EPP because they want to withdraw from Europe.

“The EPP is wholly at variance with Conservative policy over a wide range of issues and Cameron is right to conclude the relationship is unsustainable and is a reproach to the party. One EPP party, the German CDU, recently ran an overtly racist anti-immigration campaign. Two leaders of major EPP parties (Berlusconi, Chirac) are facing serious charges of financial and/or political impropriety.” (Roger Helmer, The Guardian, 06/01/05)

"After nearly seven years in the European Parliament, I have now reached the firm view that Britain would be better off out of the EU . There is simply no benefit of membership, at all, that could not be achieved through a normal treaty between independent nations, without having to out-source our governance to Brussels. The EU damages our prosperity, undermines our democracy, and increasingly threatens our national security." (Roger Helmer, Speech to Better off out rally, http://www.betteroffout.co.uk/arc01.htm, 29/04/06)

“But, when it comes to Europe, nothing could be less modern than the 1950s, ultra-integrationist, social market agenda peddled by the EPP . To read its manifesto is to travel back in time: a single European Union seat at the United Nations, a European army and police force, an EU-wide income tax to be levied by MEPs. You half expect to stumble across a commitment to a pan-European incomes policy.” (Daniel Hannan, The Telegraph, 18/12/05)

 “I have every intention of keeping his word” ( Daniel Hannan, The Times, 07/06/06)

 "We can call it renegotiation, or associate membership, or leaving the EU and striking a different kind of deal with it. What we call it matters less than the content. It is perfectly possible to enjoy full access to EU markets while freeing ourselves of the accompanying costs of membership.” ( Daniel Hannan, Sunday Telegraph, 28/08/05)

Daniel Hannon also wants to quit NATO

"Our membership of Nato no longer serves any useful purpose” ( Daniel Hannan, Daily Telegraph 27/05/03)

“The withdrawal of the Conservative party from the EPP will create a dynamic that is consistent with the practical realities of shifting the tectonic plates in the direction of a eurorealist Europe, reflected by the rejection of the European constitution in France and the Netherlands against a low-growth, high-unemployment Europe with all the instability and undemocratic consequences that are already apparent in the existing EU.” ( Bill Cash, FT, 31/12/05)

“The Conservative party as a whole last week voted to support my backbench amendment to the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, expressly to override the European Communities Act 1972 by providing the legislative means to deregulate European burdens on British business and make this binding on the British judiciary.” ( Bill Cash , Conservative MP for Stone,FT, 24/05/06)

Bill Cash's amendment to the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, which in practice would mean leaving the EU .

A step too far for Michael Howard, IDS and Hague

“During the 1999-2004 Session we were allied members of the Group of the European People's Party and European Democrats (EPP-ED). This agreement means that Conservative MEPs will remain allied members of the EPP-ED parliamentary group for the duration of the 2004- 2009 legislature. It provides us with a powerful platform to promote our distinctive vision of Europe, while at the same time allowing us to work constructively with all parties of the European centre-right against the threat posed by the Left in the European Parliament.” ( The European Election manifesto, June 2004)

“I know some Daily Telegraph readers are concerned about our alliance with the European People's Party. But the most Eurosceptic political party in the EU - the Czech ODS, led by President Vaclav Klaus - is a member, too. Like Mr Klaus, I believe in fighting for change from within Europe.” (Michael Howard, The Telegraph, 09/06/04)

IDS held a review of membership:

"If we are to be perceived and to feel valued as constructive partners within the overall group, we need to be able to show the distinctive view we hold is regarded as a positive and valid contribution to the review. To achieve this we need to be able to demonstrate that within the EPP/ED there are distinctive positions of equal validity which require equal consideration." ( IDS, FT, 11/12/01)

Hague negotiated to remain within the EPP 

Conservative MEPs have a unique position in the EPP-ED. We are the second largest group on the centre-right (after the Germans) and have a written agreement (signed by William Hague) which allows us complete freedom to speak on any issue we wish, whether or not contrary to the EPP position, to vote in any way we wish and to act in any way we wish. Our sole guide is the Conservative Manifesto on which we were elected and our Leadership decides absolutely and without external pressures of any sort how Tory MEPs will operate. ( Robert Atkins MEP, Letter to members, 19/10/05)

"As William Hague put it in 1999, when he confirmed our associate membership of the EPP-ED Parliamentary Group - 'I simply cannot afford to have my political opponents in the House of Commons suggesting that I am isolated from the mainstream Conservative parties on the continent of Europe.'”. ( Robert Atkins MEP, Letter to members, 19/10/05)

"Our MEPs will join an enlarged coalition with centre-right parties and will work alongside allies old and new. This means Conservatives will stick to their principles and have influence. Conservatives in the European Parliament will be absolutely committed to the manifesto upon which they stood.” ( William Hague, BBC News Online, 30/06/99)

Now Hague has the task of seeking allies for a new group in European Parliament

“Well look if we looked all around Europe at the domestic and social policies of each political party we would find that there was no grouping in the European Parliament including the one we're in at the moment that we would be able to join.” (William Hague, Jonathan Dimbleby, 26/02/06)

The Conservatives have allegedly been speaking to:

• The Polish Law and Justice Party (banned gay rights marches)
• Poland's Civic Platform (want to reduce workers and Union rights)
• Dutch Christian Union (against women standing for election)
• The Czech Civic Democracy Party (their Party Leader is about to be sued by the Czech PM for publicly accusing him of having links to the Prague Underworld and their former Chairman physically attacked the Health Minister on Sunday, starting a punch up)
• Movement for France (led the No campaign in the French Constitution referendum and their anti-immigration leader coined the term "Polish Plumbers")
• Italian Alleanza nazionale (who Hague called "neo-fascists" in 1999 - but who have turned down the Tories for being too right wing)
• Latvia's For Fatherland and Freedom Party (nationalists who wanted to ban foreigners from working in schools)
• Swedish June List (Eurosceptics)
• and Kathy Sinnott MEP (Irish disabilities campaigner who sits with UKIP in the EP)

“Graham Brady, Mr Hague's deputy held a meeting with the Dutch MEP Johannes Blokland, whose two-member Christian Union holds views that do not exactly chime with Mr Cameron's attempt to win women voters.

The Christian Union includes the SGP, ac conservative Calvanist party, which cites the Bible to explain its policy of not allowing women to represent it in parliament. But Mr Blokland told the FT he would not join Mr Cameron's new group and said he had advised the Conservatives to remain in the centre-right European People's party, the parliament's biggest group. “They are influential there.” (The FT, 01/02/06)

“He [William Hague] has allowed talks with Poland's Law and Justice party. Lech Kaczynski, Poland's president, who is a key figure in the controversial party, banned gay rights marches when he was mayor of Warsaw. He is also known as a staunch supporter of the death penalty.” (The Guardian, 01/02/06) 

“The omens are deeply worrying. Cosying up to the Law and Justice party indicates to me proof positive that David Cameron is using the tactics of George Bush's compassionate Conservatism in order to achieve power, at which point he will reveal his true colours,” (Michael Cashman, The Guardian, 01/02/06)

“Potential soulmates for the Tories include MEPs from Poland's PiS (Law and Justice) party, from the Czech ODS party and from Latvia's LNNK party.” (PA, 31/01/06)

 ” DAVID CAMERON'S flagship policy on Europe was thrown into disarray yesterday after his key Czech and Polish allies fell out spectacularly. Mr Cameron is under intense pressure from the Right of his party to fulfil his promise to pull his 27-strong delegation out of the European People's Party - the largest bloc in the European Parliament and committed to deeper EU integration - and form a new Eurosceptic alliance with parties from the ex-communist bloc.Supporters of the move had hoped for an announcement as early as this week after the centre-Right Civic Democrat Party (ODS) from the Czech Republic scraped to election victory. Then Mirek Topolanek, the ODS leader and front-runner to be the next Czech premier, lambasted the ruling Polish Law and Justice Party, calling it dangerous and populist. Law and Justice responded by rejecting the proposed alliance with the Conservatives.” (Daily Telegraph, 06/06/06)

“His aides have been saying that moves towards a new group had to wait until after the general election in the Czech Republic, which took place on Saturday.The main centre-Right party in the Czech Republic, the Civic Democrat party (ODS), is the most important prospective ally for Mr Cameron's Conservatives in a Euro-alliance, but its leaders wanted to shelve talk about such moves during their campaign. Now that the election is over and the ODS has won, senior Tories said talks would begin soon on forming the new group. (Daily Telegraph, 05/06/06)

“The ODS is probably the closest match for the British Conservatives of all the centre-Right parties in Europe. Now that the elections are over, we will be seeking further discussions with the ODS and others about the new group.” (Graham Brady, the shadow Europe minister, Daily Telegraph, 05/06/06)

Last week he [David Cameron] told his front bench spokesmen that any of them who indicated support for British withdrawal from the EU would be sacked. (The Telegraph, 30/04/06)

 But over half the shadow cabinet recently supported an ammendment that would mean just that

David Cameron's Conservative party voted for Bill Cash's amendment (Hansard, 16/05/06 Division No. 239) to the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, which in practice would mean leaving the EU .

Shadow Cabinet members who voted for the ammendment
Peter Ainsworth, David Davis, Liam Fox, Cheryl Gillan, Chris Grayling, Dominic Grieve, Stephen Hammond, Oliver Heald, Andrew Lansley, Oliver Letwin, David Lidington, Francis Maude, Theresa May, Patrick McLoughlin, Andrew Mitchell, David Mundell, Caroline Spelman, Theresa Villiers, David Willetts, (Hansard, 16/05/06)

 In the face of defeat David Cameron is now backtracking on the timings of leaving the EPP

 ‘Matter of Months'

“And what I've said very clearly is that we will leave the EPP.  We will form a new group.. It will happen.  It is a matter of, it is a matter of months not years and it will be done.” (David Cameron, The Today programme, 09/12/05)

"You can expect some sort of announcement on a new group in the next few months ." (William Hague's spokesperson, FT, 03/06/06)

Q: So if half your people decide to stay in the EPP … what happens then?

“ let them see what I'm going to propose . But I think by the end of next month the negotiations on this with other parties will be completed and I will have things to announce then. (Hague, Today Programme, 07/06/06)

“William Hague, the shadow Foreign Secretary, will announce the Tories' next moves next month but insiders admit one option will be to announce further negotiations to be concluded in the long rather than short term.” (Independent, 08/06/06)

“David Cameron, the Conservative leader, could take years to fulfil his pledge to move his party from the main centre-right European parliament group to a new anti-federal bloc, his aides admitted yesterday.” (FT, 08/06/06)

“The Tories admitted Mr Cameron could be forced to delay withdrawal from the EPP, potentially until after the next European elections in 2009 . “It's highly unlikely but we can't rule that out” a party official said.” (FT, 08/06/06)

Cameron will come under increasing pressure from his members as the EPP have now announced that they wish to see the EU Constitution adopted before 2009.

The Tories have now flip- flop- flipped on the Common Fisheries policy

For Reform

“We are going to look closely at ways to achieve our three aims in these areas: policies that encourage sustainable fishing and farming communities, do not place excessive burdens on tax payers and that enrich and protect the environment.” (William Hague, Speech on Europe, 07/06/06)

“David Cameron has made a further dramatic break with the Tory past by dropping his party's long-standing commitment to pull Britain out of the European Union's much maligned Common Fisheries Policy. spokesman for the Tory leader confirmed last night that he had abandoned the policy of "unilateral withdrawal" championed by Michael Howard at the last election in favour of pushing for reform of the fisheries regime from within.” (The Telegraph, 08/06/06)

For Withdrawal

“I do not believe that the Common Fisheries Policy has worked well. We can do more to conserve fish stocks through local management and bilateral agreements.” (David Cameron, FAQs, www.cameroncampaign.com, 15/11/05)

“ The common policies on agriculture and fisheries are unsustainable , damaging to free trade and conservation, and waste huge sums of money. The CAP needs further and deeper reform. And, because fisheries would be better administered at the national level, we will negotiate to restore national and local control over British fishing grounds. We are determined to ensure national control in this area .” 2005 Conservative manifesto (written by David Cameron)

And for withdrawal again….

“The clear majority of Tory members favour British control of fisheries policy and the end of Brussels' Common Fishing Policy.  That majority will have choked on their cornflakes this morning as they read, in The Telegraph , that Mr Cameron "had abandoned the policy of "unilateral withdrawal" championed by Michael Howard at the last election in favour of pushing for reform of the fisheries regime from within."

ConservativeHome has learnt that the policy will not now be abandoned.   ConservativeHome understands that there has been a great deal of telephone traffic between London and Edinburgh [who believe the policy is essential to support Scottish fishermen] during the day and this will soon result in a "clarification" of policy.” (Conservativehome.com, 08/06/06)