French former justice minister says PM right to challenge 'naive musings' about creating a European superstate
An ally of the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has praised David Cameron for embarking on a "brave step" after pledging to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership by the end of 2017.
Rachida Dati, a former justice minister who is now vice-president of Sarkozy's UMP party and an MEP, said the prime minister was right to challenge "naive musings" about creating a European superstate.
At a conference in London organised by the pro-reform Open Europe thinktank and the Fresh Start group of MPs, Dati said: "Today, a man in Europe has been bold enough to stand alone in calling for a different Europe. That man is David Cameron.
"Though at times isolated and shunned, he has stood his ground and today's conference offers proof of this: this idea, this wonderful idea of a people's Europe, has started to gain momentum across Europe – even in Brussels. Quite an accomplishment.
"The referendum David Cameron has suggested to the British people is a first brave step in this direction. I was one of the few French politicians to welcome this proposition, for which I was, as you can imagine, criticised. But I have not changed my mind: for anyone who is aware of what British people want, this referendum is quite simply logical."
The support from a leading figure in the main French opposition was warmly received in Downing Street. The prime minister has been saying he is not isolated as he calls for EU reforms that would include restricting migrants' access to benefits and limiting free movement of citizens from future member states.
Dati, who later met the prime minister, endorsed Cameron on both points, though she went further in calling for a 10-year freeze on admitting future member states. France has traditionally been wary of admitting Turkey, which is involved in laborious accession talks.
She said: "Another reform which I support, and I want to insist on this point, concerns the limitation of free movement of workers. This brave proposition made by David Cameron created a real outcry both in my home country France and in Brussels. But let me tell you that the outcry came from the elite which has no difficulty to find a job, and does not suffer the consequences of competition from a less costly workforce coming from eastern Europe."
Dati's strong remarks show that the UMP is concerned about the threat posed to it in the European parliamentary elections in May by the Front National, which is attempting to create a more moderate image under Marine Le Pen. Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 days ago.
An ally of the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has praised David Cameron for embarking on a "brave step" after pledging to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership by the end of 2017.
Rachida Dati, a former justice minister who is now vice-president of Sarkozy's UMP party and an MEP, said the prime minister was right to challenge "naive musings" about creating a European superstate.
At a conference in London organised by the pro-reform Open Europe thinktank and the Fresh Start group of MPs, Dati said: "Today, a man in Europe has been bold enough to stand alone in calling for a different Europe. That man is David Cameron.
"Though at times isolated and shunned, he has stood his ground and today's conference offers proof of this: this idea, this wonderful idea of a people's Europe, has started to gain momentum across Europe – even in Brussels. Quite an accomplishment.
"The referendum David Cameron has suggested to the British people is a first brave step in this direction. I was one of the few French politicians to welcome this proposition, for which I was, as you can imagine, criticised. But I have not changed my mind: for anyone who is aware of what British people want, this referendum is quite simply logical."
The support from a leading figure in the main French opposition was warmly received in Downing Street. The prime minister has been saying he is not isolated as he calls for EU reforms that would include restricting migrants' access to benefits and limiting free movement of citizens from future member states.
Dati, who later met the prime minister, endorsed Cameron on both points, though she went further in calling for a 10-year freeze on admitting future member states. France has traditionally been wary of admitting Turkey, which is involved in laborious accession talks.
She said: "Another reform which I support, and I want to insist on this point, concerns the limitation of free movement of workers. This brave proposition made by David Cameron created a real outcry both in my home country France and in Brussels. But let me tell you that the outcry came from the elite which has no difficulty to find a job, and does not suffer the consequences of competition from a less costly workforce coming from eastern Europe."
Dati's strong remarks show that the UMP is concerned about the threat posed to it in the European parliamentary elections in May by the Front National, which is attempting to create a more moderate image under Marine Le Pen. Reported by guardian.co.uk 3 days ago.