This is a new, farcical low and David Cameron is losing control. Unfortunately, last week's events in the House of Commons have brought the debate on Europe within the Conservative party to a new, almost farcical, low.
Having previously opposed the introduction of legislation in this parliament to hold a referendum in the next one, the prime minister suddenly allowed a free vote among backbenchers, with the government abstaining, on the extraordinary basis that the party had no policy on the issue. Then, once more than 100 backbenchers had voted for such a referendum, he insisted that all Tory MPs, whatever their view, should from now on support the proposal, on a three-line whip, whereas only the day before they could take any position they chose. This saga looks more like the politics of the French Fourth Republic than the serious practice of government and it is especially disappointing and damaging on such an important issue – the place of Britain in Europe and the world. Eurozone now in its longest recession. The eurozone has slumped into its longest recession ever, after economic activity across the region fell for the sixth quarter in a row.
Economic output across the single currency area fell by 0.2% in the first three months of 2013, statistics body Eurostat reported on Wednesday. France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands all saw their economies shrink as the economic crisis in the eurozone continued to hit its largest economies. Michael Gove: I would vote to leave EU. Michael Gove has entered the seemingly endless Tory row over Europe by admitting he would vote to leave the European Union if a vote were held today.
Britain and Europe: mistaking plans for Nigel. Trouble, thy name is Nigel.
Or so it must seem to David Cameron. In a week, the prime minister's authority has been rocked by Nigel Farage, shaken by the Nigel Evans allegations and now openly challenged by the most important Nigel in recent Conservative history. It is 24 years since Nigel Lawson's resignation signalled the endgame of Margaret Thatcher's premiership. And it needs to be stressed that, for most people under the age of 40, the former chancellor is much less of a name these days than his daughter.
Nevertheless, Lord Lawson proved this week that, at 81, he is still one of the most articulate figures in politics and has lost none of his sense of theatre. There can be no disputing that Lord Lawson's change of heart on the EU – he voted yes to British membership, along with Lady Thatcher herself, back in 1975 – reflects his party's own historic change of view over Europe, between the Ted Heath era and that of David Cameron. Lawson's EU intervention is a preview of the Tory war to come.
There's little chance of Britain leaving the EU. Will the United Kingdom still be a member of the European Union in 2020?
Let us examine three scenarios. 1. The Conservatives win the 2015 election and David Cameron is able to redeem his promise to renegotiate Britain's membership terms and hold a referendum in 2017. If current public hostility to the EU remains, it might look as if withdrawal is likely. Cyprus savings levy: UK government to compensate troops and civil servants. The government is to protect the savings of British military personnel and civil servants in Cyprus who were facing the prospect of a levy as part of the €10bn (£8.7bn) eurozone bailout on the Mediterranean island, George Osborne has announced.
The chancellor also told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 that Cypriot banks based in the UK would be unaffected by the 9.9% levy on savings over €100,000. There will also be a 6.75% levy on savings below €100,000. The chancellor said: "What I would say about the Cyprus situation is first of all we are not part of the bailout because David Cameron got us out of these euro bailouts when he became prime minister. "Second, the Cypriot banks in Britain are not going to be included in this bank tax. It is a very difficult situation for people who live in Cyprus. Judges would regret Human Rights Act repeal, warns Lady Hale. Lady Hale, a leading member of the supreme court, also said judges should hail from different parts of the legal world to ensure gender equality.
Photograph: Getty The UK's most senior female judge has said her fellow justices would "regret" any decision by a future government to repeal the Human Rights Act. Lady Hale, a leading member of the supreme court and a potential candidate for the post of deputy president, also said that withdrawing from the human rights court in Strasbourg would require Britain to leave the EU. She was answering questions from students and others at the London School of Economics on Wednesday evening as part of a conversation chaired by Prof Conor Gearty.
Tory ministers plot Human Rights Act repeal. Chris Grayling said he wanted a 'dramatically curtailed role for the European court of human rights in the UK'.
Photograph: Steve Back/Barcroft Media Senior Tory cabinet ministers have raised the prospect of pulling Britain out of the European convention on human rights, despite a pledge by David Cameron that the party will not lurch to the right in the wake of its drubbing in the Eastleigh byelection. Wall St. Helped Greece to Mask Debt Fueling Europe’s Crisis.
Italy's left loses the popularity contest again. 'The undisputed victor [of the Italian election] is of course Beppe Grillo, leader and sole brand owner of the Five Star Movement.' Photograph: Riccardo Venturi/Contrasto / eyevine It's not every day that Corriere della Sera, the historic mouthpiece of Italian capitalism, quotes Mao Zedong.
On Monday, sensing the chaotic scenario that now transpires from the official results of Italy's general election, one of their leader writers recalled, in a tone of trepidation, the famous dictum: "Great disorder under heaven; the situation is excellent". The day after, the disorder is plain for all to see. And there are two men for whom the situation is indeed excellent. Ed Miliband unnerves colleagues by rejecting in-out EU referendum. Ed Miliband risked alienating some voters, and unnerving sections of his own shadow cabinet, when he stood firm on Wednesday, saying he was opposed to an in-out referendum on the terms proposed by David Cameron.
The Tories seized on his statement, claiming he was against an in-out referendum, but Miliband's aides said the party only opposed a referendum now. However, the Conservatives were confident that the Labour leader had made a disastrous political error for which he would pay a price at the next election. Grant Shapps, the Conservative chairman, said: "It's clear that Labour doesn't trust the British public to have their say on their country's future.
" But those senior members of the shadow cabinet that would have preferred a clearer pro-referendum line bit their lips, saying the option remained open. Others claimed Cameron would enjoy a short-term hit, but that the speech would not age well. David Cameron's EU speech: panel verdict. Link to video: David Cameron promises in-out EU referendum Emma Reynolds: Bad for British business. Ed Miliband unnerves colleagues by rejecting in-out EU referendum. Cameron speech: France offers 'red carpet' to UK firms. 23 January 2013Last updated at 09:56 ET By Brian Milligan Business reporter, BBC News. EU budget: how much does each country pay and where does it get spent? EU budget: where does the European Union spend our money? The EU budget is being pored over in Brussels right now. Writes Ian Traynor today: David Cameron is pressing for tens of billions of euros in cuts to the EU's next seven-year budget as the price for Britain's agreement at the Brussels summit, which could run into Saturday morning.
With an annual budget of over €129bn, the EU is an economic power in its own right, more significant than many countries.