David Cameron was in such a hurry to tell everyone about how well last night’s talks with EU leaders had gone that the crest hadn’t been properly stuck on his lectern when he gave his press conference. It wobbled off and hung at an angle as the Prime Minister reported ‘a lot of goodwill’ and claimed that progress was being made in preparation for the European Council summit in February where he hopes to sign off his renegotiation plan. But nothing was agreed last night and EU leaders are claiming that Cameron has accepted he cannot discriminate against citizens of other member states, why was the Prime Minister in such a good mood?
Cameron is insisting that his four year benefits ban plan is still on the table, so it’s not even as if the leaders have managed to agree about what they have talked about, let alone a settled renegotiation. But that lack of agreement – coupled with Angela Merkel saying that it may be possible to agree treaty change now but make the changes later – is probably what is keeping the PM so upbeat: he doesn’t yet need to say he has conceded anything, even if he eventually will.
Those around Cameron are extremely confident of a deal at February’s summit rather than a further delay. And they seem confident of further help from Merkel when it comes to the referendum campaign itself too. Even if there isn’t a great appetite for the Prime Minister’s benefits proposals, there also seems to be little appetite for I’ll will between the leaders.
Comments