GERMANY: Britain ‘playing with fire’ with EU

Merkel offers Cameron some support in his drive to re-negotiate the terms of EU membership, amid a largely negative response from European leaders, with a former Belgian Prime Minster saying there can be “no question” of granting Britain opt-outs.

 In his much anticipated and hyped speech about his vision for the future of the EU, Prime Minster David Cameron warned that without reform, “Europe will fail and Britain will drift to the exit.”

But his speech was met with alarm in mainland Europe, with only a handful of nations offering lukewarm support to the PM’s ideas.

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was ready to “talk about British wishes” and that she wanted to see a“fair compromise”. Her limited support will likely be seen as a small victory for Cameron.

“I don’t believe that to make a decision at this moment is the right way forward, either for Britain or for Europe as a whole,” said Cameron, assuring that he would hold the referendum in 2017 should he be re-elected in 2015.

“I say to the British people: this will be your decision. And when that choice comes, you will have an important choice to make about our country’s destiny,” stated the British Prime Minister.

British support for the EU is currently “wafer-thin,” informed Cameron. 

‘Dangerous move’

Following the speech, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said leaving the EU would be dangerous for the UK.

“You join the [football] club, but once you are in you can’t say that you want to play rugby,” said Fabius, dismissing Cameron’s reform ideas as a push for “Europe à la carte.” 

Furthermore, German Chancellor Merkel said Europe was prepared to negotiate with Britain, but would not compromise on the interests of the Union.

Ex Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt attacked Cameron’s speech, saying that it was indicative of his lack of knowledge of the EU.

"His speech was full of inconsistencies, displaying a degree of ignorance about how the EU works," said Verhofstadt, stressing that debating the UK’s membership was “playing with fire.”

The US also entered into the EU membership debate. The White House said President Obama had called on Cameron to emphasize how Washington “values a strong UK in a strong European Union.