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Blair Must Use Historic Opportunity of EU Presidency
Thursday 23 June 2005
As Britain assumes the presidency of the EU, the Prime Minister has a great opportunity to make Europe fit for the future but he must show he is serious about reform by sticking to his guns, Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, said today.
Mr Kirkhope said the Prime Minister's enthusiasm for a Conservative vision of Europe was welcome and that Conservatives would support Mr Blair if he was serious about fundamental reform of the EU.
The Conservative leader in Europe pointed out that Conservatives are playing a leading role in the Parliament, particularly on the Lisbon Agenda, deregulation, flexible labour markets, the environment, trade and accountability. But he said past experience had shown the Prime Minister to be stubbornly attached to some of the ideals of Old Europe.
Mr Kirkhope said:
"If the Prime Minister is serious about reforming Europe and leading a debate about its future, we support him in that aim. Britain has an unprecedented opportunity to shape the EU for a new century by championing economic reform, decentralisation and flexibility.
"He must not allow his agenda to be hijacked by the domestic politics of other countries.
"We are pleased that the Prime Minister is apparently coming round to our way of thinking on Europe.
"But as always with Mr Blair, we want less spin and more substance. Until a month ago he was a keen proponent of the discredited European Constitution. He remains an advocate of the euro. Three years ago he signed up meekly to a Franco-German stitch-up of CAP spending. His reformist credentials aren't entirely convincing.
"For years Mr Blair has accused the Conservatives of wanting to withdraw from the EU. I hope he will now accept that we simply want a different kind of EU - a Europe that does less and does it better."
ENDS
