Jeremy Hunt: Better to be isolated and right in Europe

Is it a good thing that David Cameron now appears isolated in Europe as he continues to dig a hole that Jean-Claude Juncker almost certainly won’t fall into? Jeremy Hunt tried to argue on the Today programme this morning that it was, saying that people would respect an isolated Prime Minister who was prepared to make the right argument. He said:

‘Sometimes leadership is lonely, but if it is the right thing to do for Britain, I’m glad that we have got a strong prime minister who’s prepared to take those steps, even if it means that he is isolated from time-to-time, I think people in Europe will respect the person who tells the truth; that Europe needs to be reformed, it can’t carry on the way it’s doing, it’s unacceptable to put in place who someone who doesn’t stand for reform and I’m very proud that we have a prime minister who’s prepared to do that, however difficult it is, however isolated.’