Cameron’s call

IT IS doubtful whether David Cameron will feel like thanking Lord Lawson for his acutely timed intervention ahead of today’s Queen’s Speech.

With the Prime Minister under increasing pressure from his backbenchers to hold an early referendum on Britain’s European Union membership following the UK Independence Party’s success in the local elections, the last thing he might want is a former Conservative Chancellor calling for Britain to leave Europe now.

But the very fact that Lord Lawson is a major Tory figure, as well as a disinterested one – and not merely a backbencher in fear of losing his seat to the Ukip advance – lends weight to his words in a way that might be uncomfortable for Ukip as well.

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For, if a former Europhile Chancellor, who once wanted to take Britain into the Exchange Rate Mechanism, now wants this country to leave the EU itself, it is clear evidence that the European tide in the Tory Party has turned, that the party which took Britain into the Common Market is now deeply Eurosceptic. Indeed, it is also a reminder that the Conservatives are the only party in a position to deliver on an in/out referendum and that every vote that Ukip captures increases the chances of a Europhile Labour-led government taking over in 2015.

Nevertheless, Lord Lawson is wrong to suggest that a referendum should be held now before any attempt to renegotiate the terms of Britain’s membership. These are not the 1970s when Harold Wilson was on a hiding to nothing trying to wring concessions out of Brussels ahead of the last membership referendum.

Europe is in a state of chaos, its members’ economies being slowly destroyed by the single currency. In the end, this can only be resolved by Europe ditching the euro or by Brussels making serious moves towards greater political union.

Either way, new treaties will be required and Britain will have the chance to negotiate a new relationship with its European partners. Mr Cameron should hold his nerve and wait until 
2017 before giving the nation its say.