Europe in ‘profound debate’ on future, says Blair

Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that Europe is “in the midst of a profound debate” on its future.

Mr Blair made his comments during a speech to Euro MPs as he outlined plans for Britain’s presidency of the European Union.

The Prime Minister said that a united Europe, working together was “essential” for the European nations to remain strong. However, he said: “Almost 50 years on, we have to renew. All institutions must do it. And we can. But only if remarry the European ideals we believe in with the modern world we live in.”

However, Mr Blair faced equal amounts of applause and heckles when he announced that he was a “passionate pro-European”.

Last week, Britain and France clashed at the European Summit over Britain’s £3 billion EU rebate. Mr Blair stressed that Britain would not discuss the rebate unless there were reforms of the controversial Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which provides hefty subsidies to the French.

Commenting on the rebate row, Mr Blair denied that he had not been willing to compromise on the rebate or that he had expected renegotiate the CAP immediately. He said: “I am the only British leader that has ever said I would put the rebate on the table. I never said we should end the CAP now or renegotiate it overnight. Such a position would be absurd. Any change must take account of the legitimate needs of farming communities and happen over time. I have said simply two things: that we cannot agree a new financial perspective that does not at least set out a process that leads to a more rational Budget; and that this must allow such a Budget to shape the second half of that perspective up to 2013. Otherwise it will be 2014 before any fundamental change is agreed, let alone implemented.”

The Prime Minister pledged to “try to take the forward the Budget deal” during Britain’s EU presidency.

Mr Blair said that the debate on Europe’s future should centre on policy: "It is not a debate about how to abandon Europe but how to make it do what it was set up to do: improve the lives of people. And right now they aren’t convinced.”

He said that the rejection of the European Constitution in referendums in France and the Netherlands showed “a wider and deeper discontent with the state of affairs in Europe” admitting "the reality is that in most member states, it would be hard today to secure a ‘yes’ vote on the issue.

Europe faced a “crisis of political leadership,” said Mr Blair and he warned that it was time to "recognise that only by change will Europe recover its strength, its relevance, its idealism and therefore its support amonst the people.”

Mr Blair's statements were welcomed by Shadow European Minister Graham Brady. However, he added: "We must remember that only a fortnight ago he was giving precisely the opposite message."

(KMcA/SP)