THE OBSERVER: Former prime minister joins fight with Eurosceptics and says Brussels must promote 'grand plan' about its purpose
Tony Blair will make an impassioned intervention in the debate over Britain's future in Europe, warning that any disengagement from theEuropean Union's "top table" would be a disaster for the UK's economy and its power on the world stage.
With more senior Tories backing moves that could see the UK leaving the EU mainstream, Blair will seek to rally the business community behind a campaign to halt the Eurosceptic bandwagon before it is too late.
At a speech in London on Wednesday, Blair will say that with major economies such as China, India, Brazil and Russia emerging as formidable competitors in the global economic power game, EU membership has never been more important. A source close to the former prime minister said: "Whereas the postwar argument for Europe was about peace versus war, he will make the point that the 21st-century case for Europe is about power versus irrelevance."
In Wednesday's speech, to the Business for New Europe coalition of business leaders pushing for reform in Europe, Blair will argue that the EU needs to promote a "grand plan" about its purpose, driving home the message that member states can best take on these huge economic powers as a united bloc. He will highlight statistics showing that 47% of UK exports go to EU member states while 50% of foreign direct investment is from EU countries. » | Toby Helm, political editor | Saturday, November 24, 2012
