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Mikeuk · 07-03-2006, 08:19 AM

HESELTINE: "CAMERON WILL PERFORM EUROPE U-TURN"

by Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor, Evening Standard

MICHAEL HESELTINE hinted at yet another Tory U-turn under David Cameron yesterday, when he predicted the new leader would be a pro-European Prime Minister.

The former deputy prime minister said the next Conservative government would have to join up with centre- right governments across the continent, because to do anything else would be to 'sellout' Britain.

Mr Cameron has delighted Eurosceptics with his plan to pull Tory MEPs out of the centre-right EPP group in the European Parliament.
But Lord Heseltine said such a move would be 'wrong' and suggested that Mr Cameron would swiftly adopt a more constructive tone once in government.

He was speaking on the first day of his return to public life as chairman of a new Conservative task-force to develop policy on the inner cities .Lord Heseltine made it clear the job would not constrain him from speaking out about his differences with Mr Cameron over issues such as Europe.

'The fact that I'm responsible for this particular aspect of policy in its formative stage won't influence one whit what I say about controversial issues, if I feel strongly about them' Lord Heseltine told BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme.

The reality of modern politics was that all governments had to get on with their European colleagues, he said. 'There's a team there. They are important to you. They are making decisions. You are either in the team or you are not and if you are not in the team you are selling out British interests and David Cameron would never do that' he said.

'So, the new Conservative government when it is formed will do what every government has done since the 1960s and that is to pursue a broadly pro-European policy.'

07-03-2006, 08:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mikeuk Banned Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Fareham Posts: 5,761 Party: Conservatives	HESELTINE: "CAMERON WILL PERFORM EUROPE U-TURN" HESELTINE: "CAMERON WILL PERFORM EUROPE U-TURN" by Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor, Evening Standard MICHAEL HESELTINE hinted at yet another Tory U-turn under David Cameron yesterday, when he predicted the new leader would be a pro-European Prime Minister. The former deputy prime minister said the next Conservative government would have to join up with centre- right governments across the continent, because to do anything else would be to 'sellout' Britain. Mr Cameron has delighted Eurosceptics with his plan to pull Tory MEPs out of the centre-right EPP group in the European Parliament. But Lord Heseltine said such a move would be 'wrong' and suggested that Mr Cameron would swiftly adopt a more constructive tone once in government. He was speaking on the first day of his return to public life as chairman of a new Conservative task-force to develop policy on the inner cities .Lord Heseltine made it clear the job would not constrain him from speaking out about his differences with Mr Cameron over issues such as Europe. 'The fact that I'm responsible for this particular aspect of policy in its formative stage won't influence one whit what I say about controversial issues, if I feel strongly about them' Lord Heseltine told BBC's Radio 4 Today Programme. The reality of modern politics was that all governments had to get on with their European colleagues, he said. 'There's a team there. They are important to you. They are making decisions. You are either in the team or you are not and if you are not in the team you are selling out British interests and David Cameron would never do that' he said. 'So, the new Conservative government when it is formed will do what every government has done since the 1960s and that is to pursue a broadly pro-European policy.'