Paris: On the day David Cameron moves to reassure Daily Mail readers that they "still have a Conservative prime minister", it is worth noting that Europe is still a problem for him, for his party and for his coalition. Sarkozy reportedly once told Gordon Brown: "I shouldn't like you. You're boring, you're Scottish, you don't like women and wine - but I love you, Gordon." "Not, though," he hastily added, "in a sexual way." When reminded of this sentiment at last night's news conference, he said his thoughts were with Gordon and Sarah, that he was not the one who appointed Britain's prime minister and that he was getting to know and like David Cameron. He's taking his time about it. After all, the two first met five years ago. The truth is that there are many reasons Monsieur Sarkozy should not like Mr Cameron. One is a chippy outsider, the other an effortless member of the establishment. The prime minister will remember that the president's Europe minister dubbed his decision to withdraw the Conservative Party from the European People's Party "autistic" and pathetic. However, the two men are both from the centre-right, are deficit hawks and did agree, I'm told, that now is not the time to re-open the debate about Europe's institutions. The something Angela Merkel wants back is greater economic and political integration in Europe, even if that means another treaty. Frau Merkel's irritation with the man who should be her political soul-mate is such that she refused to meet David Cameron on a recent trip to London - a fact that President Sarkozy gleefully pointed out last night. The reason all of this matters is that David Cameron now has not one but three coalitions to manage when it comes to Europe. Not just the Lib-Con coalition, but also the coalition which is the EU and that which exists in his own party between anti-Europeans, Euro-sceptics and Euro-pragmatists.
Last night in Paris, President Sarkozy gushed out warm words of welcome. He said he was "touched" by the "great honour" of being chosen for the new prime minister's first international visit. However, he did little to mask the gulf between they two men and their attitudes towards Europe.
Not so the host at Mr Cameron's next stop in Berlin. Chancellor Merkel wants and needs something in return for bailing out the Greeks. Bild, Europe's largest-selling daily, has had recent front pages screaming "Once again, we are the idiots of Europe" and "Do we need our D-Mark back?"
Friday, 21 May 2010
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