Blair and Howard clash on Europe
The UK’s relationship with Europe topped the bill at Prime Minister’s Question Time in the House of Commons this lunchtime.
Opposition leaders Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy both called on Tony Blair to declare the European Constitution ‘dead’ following the French and Dutch no votes.
And even former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith weighed into the debate – asking if the PM regretted giving up the initiative prior to the Dutch ‘no’ vote and letting France and Germany switch the issue to the UK’s rebate.
Tory leader Michael Howard called on Mr Blair to declare whether he would be pushing for an extended ratification period for the EU Constitution – or whether they could “declare it dead”.
But Mr Blair repeated that it was still time for a “period of reflection” and to move forward on a consensual basis.
He accused the Conservatives of using the dispute to further the cause of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. And, he claimed that the agreement of every other EU state was necessary if the UK’s role was to be re-negotiated – something he said would not happen.
Rejecting accusations that he wanted to pull out of Europe, Mr Howard said it was still time for a rethink of the role of the EU – and time for more powers to come back from Brussels.
Mr Blair though raised a cheer from the Labour troops, quoting a 1981 speech from Margaret Thatcher in which she warned that two million jobs would be put at risk by the UK’s withdrawal from Europe.
There was now a “clear understanding” that there needed to be a fundamental debate about Europe, he said, and the UK – while led by a pro-European government – was in the “right position to play a big part in that debate.”
But Mr Howard accused the PM of having “wriggled on Europe like a worm on a fishhook” and having failed to make clear his views to the people of Britain.
Weighing into the debate came Mr Kennedy, who said that the EU treaty was “no longer viable” and there should be a moratorium on any significant treaty revisions.
And he called for the deliberations of the Council of Ministers to be opened up, and for the UK Parliament to engage in more detailed scrutiny of EU matters.
Mr Blair said regardless of the treaty, reform of the decision making process would be required now that the EU had expanded to take in more members.
Though he accepted the need for scrutiny, Mr Blair said that opening up deliberations of the Council of Ministers would not address the real questions in Europe, such as responding to globalisation and the economic growth of China and India
