The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, warned Britain not to turn its back on Europe just before heading to London on Wednesday night for a crunch meeting with the prime minister David Cameron.
Merkel is visiting the UK in the hope of resolving a growing dispute about the EU budget, with Downing Street raising the implicit threat that it could veto any increase in spending. In a speech to the European parliament in Brussels before leaving for London, the German leader issued a veiled warning that Britain would struggle alone.
"I want to have a strong UK in the EU," said Merkel in a question and answer session after her address to MEPs. "The UK was with us when we were liberated from national socialism. We still have British soldiers in Germany. I can't imagine that the UK [would] not be part of Europe.
"I think it is good also for the UK to be part of Europe. If you have a world of seven billion, and if you are alone in that world, I don't think that is good for the UK. So I will do everything to keep the UK in the EU as a good partner, and that is why I'm going to London and I will ask the inhabitants of the wonderful island to reflect that they will not be happy if they are alone in this world.
"With a strong Europe with 500 million we are in favour of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and democracy. Look around the world at where this isn't the case and be happy that we are together". » | Juliette Jowit, Mark Rice-Oxley and Ian Traynor in Brussels | Wednesday, November 07, 2012
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Charmeoffensive in London – Merkel blitzt bei Cameron ab: In Europa stehen wichtige Entscheidungen über EU-Haushalt und Bankenunion an, Kanzlerin Merkel war deshalb auf diplomatischer Mission in Brüssel und London. Doch die Charmeoffensive verpuffte, der britische Premier Cameron bleibt vorerst auf Veto-Kurs. » | Von Carsten Volkery, London | Mittwoch, 07. November 2012
