David Cameron's refusal to unconditionally agree to a eurozone "stability union" treaty has polarised relations between Britain and EU at a time when the economic crisis has sharpened European power struggles.
As attitudes harden, senior European politicians and officials are warning that the Prime Minister's stand will have severe consequences for Britain.
Martin Schulz, the German MEP who will become the president of the European Parliament early next year, predicted that Britain could be forced to quit the EU.
"I doubt in the long term whether Britain will stay in the EU," he said.
"The EU can, if necessary, do without Britain, but Britain would have more difficulty without the EU."
In a sign that Anglo-German relations are at a new low, the point was echoed by Gunther Krichbaum, the chairman of the Bundestag's powerful EU committee, a political ally of Angela Merkel.
"The Treaty of Lisbon explicitly opens the possibility of a country's withdrawal," he said. "The British must now decide whether they are for or against Europe."
Der Spiegel predicted that as British applause died away, Mr Cameron would quickly be put to the test as the EU bit back. "He has completely isolated his country on the European stage - and many in his country applaud him for it. But he will soon have to prove that London still has clout in the EU," the popular magazine warned.
A headline in the establishment French newspaper Le Monde warned that a "27-member Europe is finished" after Mr Cameron's veto of a new EU treaty to fix the eurozone debt crisis.
The newspaper called the decision "a choice with major consequences, that will bring about the emergence of a two-speed Europe, from which the UK may be increasingly excluded by core eurozone countries guided for better or for worse by Germany and France," [sic]
Le Figaro, the newspaper closest to Nicolas Sarkozy, trumpeted a "new era of isolation" for Britain. Its website poll asking "does the UK still have a place in Europe?" quickly attracted 40,000 respondents and 81 per cent answered "Non".
Elmar Brok, a senior German Christian Democrat MEP close to Chancellor Merkel, said the EU "must now marginalise Britain, so that the country comes to feel its loss of influence". Read on and comment » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Saturday, December 10, 2011
My comment:
I can't say I'm surprised by the hostility. Britain deserves it. Cameron especially. He has behaved like a spoilt child in a party. Maybe he has done wonders for his rich City friends, but he has done absolutely nothing for the British people.
It seems that Cameron's expensive, élitist education has done absolutely nothing for his understanding of European politics. He is a nobody now on the international political scene. He may well soon be a has-been, too.
He will come to regret this foolish decision. Unfortunately, the people of Britain will have to pay the highest price for his petulance. – © Mark
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