Political outlook is stormy for Cameron
DAVID CAMERON ... has received little support for his fiscal floundering.
SIX weeks ago, this column, in its humble way, suggested David Cameron’s claim to have exercised a veto over the latest European treaty was not only delusional but a complete fallacy.
The ‘v’ word had been bandied about the media, and the Prime Minister returned to the Commons to receive the acclaim of eurosceptics.
As I pointed out at the time, Cameron did not prevent the other 26 countries (now 25) from carrying out their intention of tighter fiscal discipline across Europe – he just chose not to join them.
Not so much a veto, more an opt-out. Merkel and Sarkozy are simply pressing ahead with their plans.
They are using the very institutions that would have been denied them had a real veto been in place.
It has left Cameron looking weak and ineffectual. The extent of his embarrassment became clear in the Commons.
If Ed Miliband had taken a mop and bucket, he could not have made a more thorough job of wiping the floor with the PM.
Tory back-benchers, clearly infuriated, began the parliamentary equivalent of jabbing him in the back.
Bill Cash, all arched eyebrows and lofty contempt, referred to this ‘non-EU treaty’. The words fell, acrid and bitter, from his curled lip.
Labour inquisitors kept referring to ‘the treaty’ and Cameron’s attempts to disassociate himself from the word sounded desperate.
He kept bobbing up and down, shaking his head and implying that the members opposite were clearly not clever enough to understand.
He then resorted to aiming gratuitous insults at Miliband – ‘weak, indecisive, blah, blah’ – in an increasingly frantic attempt at self-justification.
The Tory ranks shifted uneasily. They didn’t like the way the political barometer had suddenly shifted from bright to stormy.
If he expected outbursts of raucous support from behind, he was to be grievously disappointed.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Newcastle target Barnetta to quit Bayer Leverkusen
- Transfer Rumours update May 22: Sunderland, Newcastle United, Liverpool, West Ham United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and QPR.
- Amalfitano flies into Toon to seal Newcastle deal
- Cats ready to Hammer out McCartney deal
- Teacher died hours after hospital sent her home
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for South Shields
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.