letter to the editor from Richard Corbett MEP |
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30th April 2008 |
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Independent |
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Dear Editor, “Reducing a succession of EU summits to rubble”, in pursuit of “a common market plus political cooperation” with “umpires” to enforce the common rules for the common market (Ben Anderson's recipe for David Cameron, 28 April) would be met with bemusement by our European partners – because that is, in reality, what we have now. Britain already opts-out of the euro, does not participate in the “Schengen” border-free travel area, has a special protocol on the EU Charter of Rights, can choose to opt-out of any legal cooperation measures, gets a rebate on its budget contributions, and has insisted on a veto over tax measures, foreign policy and defence. If, on top of that, Cameron were to demand opt-outs from previously agreed common market rules, he would get no sympathy from our European partners and would face the choice of accepting the status quo (which is what Mr Andersen describes) or withdrawal. In either case, any Tory administration will be riven by more divisive rows over Europe. Yours, Richard Corbett Labour MEP for Yorkshire & Humber
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