Don’t be fooled by PM’s EU ‘renegotiation’ bull

WE now know what David Cameron wants back from the European Union as part of his “renegotiation” before the referendum. And, to be honest, it amounts to sweet FA.

His first demand is that he wants an “explicit statement” from the EU that Britain will not become part of a European super state.

Big wow. They’d give him that today if it meant Britain would agree to stay in.

And who says it would be worth the paper it was written on when the President of the European Commission is on record saying “when it becomes serious, you have to lie”.

The next red line Dave wants is another “explicit statement” that the euro is not the only currency in the EU. Again, that could be given today.

Indeed, a requirement to join the euro currency only applies to new member states joining the EU, so Cameron’s red line is more of a red herring.

Next, he wants a red card system so national parliaments can veto Brussels legislation – but as EU regulations bypass national parliaments, I struggle to see how a national parliament can red card something it has nothing to do with.

Finally, he wants to ensure that the nine countries not in the euro are not bullied by the nineteen who are.

But in the future Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, the Ukraine and Turkey will join the EU and will have to join the euro as new member states, so the nine who aren’t in the single currency will inevitably lose more influence.

Holes

The Prime Minister will then conclude his really meaningful “renegotiation” and claim he’s secured a great victory for Britain when, in reality, it will mean absolutely nothing.

The big question then will be: Will the public be fooled?

I hope not, because there are more holes in these renegotiation red lines than a sieve.

There’s no mention of renegotiating Common Fisheries Policy, which has halved the size of the British fishing fleet since the 1970s and leads to nearly two million tonnes of fish being thrown back into the sea in order to meet EU quotas.

He doesn’t talk about doing away with Common Agriculture Policy, only there to benefit French farmers while at the same time pushing up the price of food for families in Britain.

Unbelievably, there’s no renegotiation whatsoever on our membership fee of £55million every day to this organisation that hasn’t had its accounts signed off by the auditors for nearly twenty bloody years!

And he hasn’t even mentioned controlling our own borders. Not one mention of the fact that the EU’s Freedom of Movement rules has led to British working class people having their wages driven down and, in some cases, being put out of work altogether because of cheap foreign labour.

It is said that if you aim for the stars, you will reach the sky. David Cameron’s red lines are so weak, they will not even get off the ground.