Be honest on EU, ex-adviser urges Labour

THE Government must be more honest about the EU and admit Britain is handing "more and more power" to Brussels, Tony Blair’s former Europe adviser said today.

Roger Liddle, the Prime Minister’s policy adviser on Europe from 1997-2004, said pro-Europeans must be open and accept the EU is a political project.

Mr Liddle believes the Government must change tack in the campaign for the EU constitution.

He said in the past pro-Europeans had campaigned on the economic benefits of the EU and insisted it was not a threat to Britain’s sovereignty.

That argument no longer washed because Labour’s successful economic policies showed there was no compelling economic reason for Britain to be at the centre of the EU, he said.

"In the past pro-Europeans have talked about Europe as though it is all about economics and jobs, that it is some sort of free-trade area that doesn’t threaten our sovereignty," he said. "I don’t think that actually that is credible because people can see Brussels gaining more and more power. I think we have got to be much more honest and open with people that Europe has always been a political project. I think politically we now want to move on to Europe being a much more credible and effective force for good in the world."

Mr Liddle denied Britain would have to pull out of the EU if it voted against the constitution. But he said it would cause "great uncertainty" in our relations with Europe.

It would also create serious problems for a third-term Labour government because the anti-European brigade would be reinforced and Britain would be isolated in Europe.

But former Europe minister Keith Vaz said the Government must stress the economic benefits of the EU if it wanted to win the referendum.

"I don’t think abstract notions are the kind of issues that will encourage people to think about Europe," he said.

"People do need to see Europe in terms of the jobs that are being created . . . or the fact that we need the cooperation of our European partners if we are going to solve the immigration and asylum issue. It is these kind of domestic issues that need to be related to our position in the EU."

He said a "no" vote would be "catastrophic". "We wouldn’t have to pull out, but we would obviously have to go back and talk to our colleagues about what is going to happen because if everyone else ratifies the constitution and Britain is the only country that does not do so, then we will be totally isolated."

Tory Shadow Europe Minister Graham Brady said: "Even Roger Liddle admits that a ‘no’ vote in the referendum would not force us out of Europe.

"The fact remains that under Labour we have seen cave-in after cave-in.

"Far from leaving us isolated, a ‘no’ vote would be a splendid opportunity for Britain and Europe and would allow us to lead reform on a genuine alternative of an open, flexible and competitive Europe."

A Tory spokesman added: "Labour have failed to lead on Europe, they have failed to be honest and they have run away from the argument."

Scottish National Party foreign affairs spokesman Angus Robertson, the MP for Moray, said the Government was not being completely open and honest about the effects which the EU was having on some aspects of life in Britain, particularly on the fishing industry.

He said: "The Scottish National Party fundamentally opposes the entrenchment of fishing as an exclusive competency in the draft EU Constitution. The government should be more honest about the consequences of the completely crazy Common Fisheries Policy."