Cameron holds talks with Merkel

David Cameron is to continue talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel on the future shape of the European Union.

The Prime Minister arrived on Friday night with his wife Samantha and their children at Mrs Merkel's official country residence at Schloss Meseberg in Brandenberg, after a highly unusual invitation for the whole family to stay.

The visit was described as a sign of the strong working relationship between the two leaders, despite their differences over the EU.

Mrs Merkel has made no secret of her concerns about Mr Cameron's plans to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU and before staging a referendum on Britain's continuing membership.

However, Michael Meister, deputy parliamentary chairman of her Christian Democratic Union party, indicated that Germany was "open for arguments" about moving some powers back into the hands of member states.

"I think there are a lot of common ideas with the British side and the German side on it," he said.

"It's a good thing that we have an idea of a private competitive economy and that's much different from other countries in Europe."

"I think we are open for arguments why it makes sense and follows the principle of subsidiarity to move something back (to member state control)."