Cameron hammers another nail in Tory Euro-coffin

3.11.20pm GMT Fri 5th Feb 2010

David Cameron has ordered Tory councilors to abandon their political allies in Europe.

Just months after the Tories abandoned their allies in the European Parliament to side with extremists, racists and homophobes on Europe's political fringe, David Cameron has damaged his party's last remaining influence in Europe by ordering Tory councillors to leave their grouping on the Committee of the Regions*.

Thanks to David Cameron, South East Tory councillors Gordon Keymer and David Shakespeare, who sit on the Committee of the Regions, will now be forced to sit alone and isolated. The Conservatives' ability to work for their constituents will be severely restricted and they will have little or no influence on the decisions that the Committee takes.

Former councillor and Euro MP for South East England, Catherine Bearder, said, "the Tories have shown once again that they cannot serve Britain's interests in Europe. They are so far from the mainstream that they can neither fit into one of the big groups nor find enough friends to form their own. As local councillors on the Committee of the Regions they could have had a key role in forming local policy that would help people in our region."

"How can they defend Britain's interests in Europe if they have so few friends they're unable to form a credible alliance? This is humiliating for a party that aspires to be the governing party of one of the largest EU member states."

"This is just the latest step in David Cameron's ongoing campaign to isolate Britain in Europe: a campaign that damages Britain's national interest."

"Once again the Tory leadership has put party dogma ahead of the best interests of the people of South East England."