Blair 'too slow' to make case for EU rebate

Saturday, 11 June 2005 12:00 AM

The Government has been too slow to make the case for the UK keeping its EU budget rebate, a senior Tory MEP has claimed.

Edward McMillan-Scott, a vice president of the European Parliament, accused the Prime Minister of only just having made the link between the rebate and wider EU budget reforms.

Tony Blair faces increasing pressure from French President Jacques Chirac and other EU leaders to renounce Britain's £3 billion repayment.

But on Friday, Mr Blair said the rebate would only be "open to debate" as part of wider economic reforms, including an end to subsidies received by French farmers.

Speaking to the Today programme, Mr McMillan-Scott said Mr Blair's government had been "very slow" at defending the UK rebate, secured by former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

"My concern is that the Government has been very slow at making the case for maintaining the rebate for the UK," he said.

Arguing that Conservative premier Mrs Thatcher had made a stronger case for the rebate than Mr Blair, Mr McMillan-Scott added: "She made the case for the British rebate very strongly."

"There was a well-laid-out campaign, publicity, information, brochures. She won the agreements. I think the British are not winning the argument at the moment and Chirac is making all the running."

Mr Chirac has rejected Mr Blair's calls for a review of farming subsidies and has repeated calls for the UK rebate to be ended.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has also indicated that the new EU budget will not be agreed without a British compromise.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will meet EU foreign ministers for dinner in Luxembourg on Sunday to try and ease tension over the rebate and the proposed EU budget.

The negotiations will take place ahead of next Thursday's European summit when EU leaders will also have to discuss the future direction of the EU following the recent rejection of the European constitution by French and Dutch voters.

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