Cameron’s European opportunity

Jean-Claude Trichet’s speech yesterday proposing a ministry of finance for the eurozone (£) can be taken as setting out how the European Central Bank wants to resolve the eurozone’s problems. It is yet another example of how the European elite use crises to advance integration.  

But just as important from a British point of view is Trichet’s admission that the overall package of changes he is talking about “naturally demand a change of the [EU] treaty”. This, as Fraser has written previously, presents David Cameron with a glorious opportunity to take advantage of this moment to redefine Britain’s relationship with the European Union.

There are those who say that Cameron can’t do anything eurosceptic as long as he is in coalition. But I suspect that the Liberal Democrats, who definitely do not want an election now, would not bring the government down over the Prime Minister requesting the return of certain powers to Britain in exchange for this country’s acceptance of a treaty change that applies to those EU members who are part of the Eurozone.