EU referendum: the seeds of betrayal
It's no doubt frustrating for the Prime Minister, says the Daily Mail this morning, that "Europe" has again become so toxic, even though he believes he has made his position clear. The Mail then continues:
He has pledged an "in-out" referendum if he wins the election, but not until he has tried to renegotiate the terms of our membership to make them better reflect the interests of the British public. If he succeeds, he clearly believes Britain would be better off in the EU than out.
But this is far too vague for many in his party who want a firm timetable, and this week Mr Cameron also suffered wounding criticism from grandees who argue that renegotiation is a pipedream.
The Mail has always supported the Prime Minister in his efforts to claw back powers from Brussels before holding a referendum but – as UKIP's successes prove – he has no time to lose. He must start leading the debate on Europe, rather than appearing to be dragged along by it.
There you can see the future. All that has to happen is that Mr Cameron shows the requisite "leadership" and the paper will roll over and back its man. Like the rest of the British media, when Cameron comes home with the "deal", it will buy into it and support the "yes" vote.
