Labour on Europe

Labour's priority is the cost of living crisis: Labour's priority is tackling the cost of living crisis and the NHS, not a costly and damaging debate about leaving the European Union.

Labour will give the British people a guarantee that no powers will be transferred to Brussels without an in/out referendum: there are no proposals for a further transfer of powers to Brussels. But given the uncertainty about the future of eurozone integration, the British people know that although it's unlikely, it remains possible. Therefore the next Labour government will legislate for a lock that guarantees that there cannot be any transfer of powers from Britain to the European Union without an in/out referendum.

Labour wants to see change in Europe: we will work for reform of the European Union to make it work better for Britain.

The Tories can't be trusted on Europe: they are divided and damaging Britain's interest because David Cameron can't tell us what he is negotiating for, has no strategy for achieving change and can't even tell us whether he will vote yes or no.

David Cameron can't be trusted on Europe: he can't tell us what he is negotiating for, he has no strategy for achieving change and can't even tell us whether he will vote yes or no in a referendum. And his Cabinet is divided about staying in or coming out altogether. 

A Tory government after 2015 would be dominated by damaging division about the EU and unable to represent the national interest - a re-run of John Major in 1992-7.

Businesses—from the CBI to Nissan to DHL—are worried about the Tories increasingly drifting towards exit. That is the danger to jobs and growth of where the Tory party is heading.

We all know that the EU needs to change. But the real tragedy is that we have a prime minister too weak to pursue those reforms in a sensible way.

And there is no appetite for this sort of posturing from our EU partners. During her visit to London Chancellor Merkel refused to offer her support for either Mr Cameron's timetable or his proposals.

She explained how he needs unanimous backing to get his new treaty. And, it is clear, he has none.