News from The Labour Party

David Miliband: “David Cameron’s position on Europe is false & dangerous”

David Miliband MP, Labour’s Foreign Secretary, has responded to reports that Vaclav Klaus has signed the Lisbon Treaty and commented on David Cameron’s failure to clarify his policy on the treaty.

David Miliband told Labour Matters:

“So much for David Cameron’s cast iron guarantee to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.”

“As British Foreign Secretary, I would welcome Mr Cameron’s u-turn because this treaty is good for Britain and for the British people.

“But he is still not being honest with people. I gather that he is about to give another cast iron guarantee that he can’t and won’t honour. This time on the repatriation of key competencies from the EU that affect British people such as social policy. In practice the EU Social Chapter has delivered important rights for British workers such as paid leave, anti-discrimination laws and maternity leave.

“The fact is you can’t simply opt out of treaty obligations because to do so you need the agreement of the 26 other member states. The concessions David Cameron would have to offer would be costly and weaken Britain considerably. And if in the end the Tories failed to get such an agreement but remained committed to such repatriations, a Conservative Britain would have to withdraw from the EU.

“David Cameron’s position on Europe is false and dangerous. He is willing to risk Britain’s standing and the rights of British people because he is still not prepared to stand up to the Right of his own party.”

Other news from The Labour Party

• Miliband tells Cameron: Save 6,000 nurses by abandoning NHS reorganisation now - 5 February 2012
• "We need what you might call 'one nation banking'" - 3 February 2012
• Burnham: "Mental health must move from the edges to the centre of the NHS" - 31 January 2012