Coalition still strong after EU veto row, says PM

But the Prime Minister’s spokesman, speaking after the first meeting of the Cabinet following last week’s European Council summit, admitted there has been “some discussion” over giving Nick Clegg an enhanced role in future negotiations, after the Deputy Prime Minister denounced the outcome of the Brussels talks as “bad for Britain” over the weekend.

The Liberal Democrats are understood to remain furious over Mr Cameron’s actions. Mr Clegg told his Cabinet colleagues yesterday there is now a need for “constructive re-engagement” with Europe, while Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, said he had “put the business point of view” that the UK “mustn’t be isolated”.

Speaking after the meeting, however, Mr Cameron played down the scale of the coalition rift.

“The coalition is very strong,” said Mr Cameron. “The coalition came together for a good reason – to put aside party interest and to act in the national interest.”

His spokesman added that there has always been “an understanding” that both parties come from different positions over Europe.

Asked if there would be a move to bolster the Deputy Prime Minister’s role in future EU negotiations, he said there was “one seat – the seat for the head of state”.

But he admitted there has been “some discussion” over the process for future negotiations, because coalition government makes it “more complicated”.

“Clearly, we will have to think about that process and how we do things,” the spokesman said.

“The negotiating strategy was agreed with the Deputy Prime Minister. He was involved.”

Mr Cameron was subjected to a hail of brickbats as MEPs debated the Brussels talks at the European Parliament yesterday.

Directly blaming Mr Cameron for last week’s fraught negotiations, European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said the British demands had represented a “risk to the integrity of the internal market”.