Cameron’s First Foreign Policy Move Is Rupture with Europe

Denis MacShane today raised in the House of Commons, the problem of David Cameron’s commitment to rupture relations between the Conservative Party and their fellow conservative and centre-right parties in Europe. Speaking in the Commons, MacShane asked Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, about the failure of the Tories to help Britain by persuading right-wing parties in Europe to support British calls for reform of the Common Agricuultural Policy. MacShane said: “Will the Foreign Secretary confirm that the majority of countries with which he must deal on this matter, and particularly the agri-protectionist countries, are governed by parties of the centre right, sister parties of the Conservative party? Is not it a real worry for Britain's future standing in Europe that the incoming leader of the Conservative party has said that he wants to break all political links with conservative parties in Europe? Is not it a fact that it is betraying British interests to uphold its anti-Europe” line at all costs.

MacShane added after his intervention that he was worried that David Cameron was so strongly committed to breaking links with EU governments, most of whom are today controlled by sister parties of Britain’s Conservatives. “David Cameron and the new Notting Hill Toryism may speak with nice voices but it is still in the grip of isolationist ideology. Britain will be the loser if Mr Cameron does break links with his sister right-wing parties in the EU.”