Boris Johnson challenges David Cameron to ‘make Europe accept our terms’

 
Pippa Crerar4 December 2012

Boris Johnson today launched a blistering attack on David Cameron as he put himself at the helm of Tory calls for a historic reshaping of Britain’s position in Europe.

The Mayor claimed the Prime Minister’s position was “completely intellectually dishonest” in its support of closer eurozone political and fiscal union to solve the financial crisis that is ravaging the Continent.

In what will be seen as a direct challenge to Mr Cameron, he laid out a new vision for Britain, inside a European free trade area but having rejected a swathe of European Union rules including on the social chapter and fisheries policy.

If the rest of the EU member states failed to agree the Prime Minister should threaten withdrawal, said Mr Johnson. “The choice is very simple. It’s between staying in on our terms or getting out,” he added. He called on the Government to negotiate a new “essential and deliverable pared-down relationship” with Brussels that would “boil down” to the single market.

His comments, which will delight many grassroots Conservatives, won immediate support from the party’s MPs. Nick de Bois, secretary of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, said: “Boris brings a breath of fresh air to this debate and applies a lot of sense on loosening our ties with Europe.”

Downing Street responded by talking up the prospect of the British people getting a say on the UK’s relationship with the EU.

No 10 said: “The Prime Minister thinks there will soon be a time for a fresh settlement, and there should be fresh consent for that settlement. The cleanest, neatest, simplest way of doing that is through a referendum.”

Mr Johnson’s speech will also be seen as pre-empting a major address by Mr Cameron on Britain’s position in Europe. He suggested the UK should form an “outer tier” of the EU with countries like Norway and Sweden — but insisted it should still have a say in key decisions on trade laws.

However, he backed away from a simple in-out referendum, suggesting the nation should be asked: “Do you want to stay in the EU single market as renegotiated? Yes or No?”

In a speech at Thomson Reuters in Canary Wharf, Mr Johnson urged Mr Cameron to “seize the moment” to redefine the relationship with Brussels, adding: “I don’t understand why we continually urge the eurozone countries to go forward with this fiscal and political union, when we know in our hearts it is anti-democratic and therefore intellectually and morally wrong.”

Mr Johnson added: “I don’t believe we will be punished or blamed for seeking this new relationship, because our partners recognise that what is good for London is actually good for the EU as a whole.”

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