Tory-led UK coalition fails to ruffle EU feathers 100 days in

By Martha Moss - 17th August 2010

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"Total and abject surrender" are the words Nigel Farage uses to describe the EU policy of the UK's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.

As David Cameron's premiership hits the 100-day mark, it seems that the traditionally eurosceptic Conservative spirit has been somewhat tempered by the pro-European Liberal Democrats.

Indeed, despite UK Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's remarks - made in the run-up to the election - denouncing the Tory decision to quit the centre-right EPP in the European parliament, the coalition has so far presented a united front on all things EU.

Clegg was not alone in his unease about what a Tory-led government could do to UK-EU relations - there was some trepidation among UK MEPs about what a eurosceptic government would mean for Britain's place on the world stage.

But little has happened - so far - to justify such concerns. Even UK chancellor George Osborne was forced to back down over the controversial hedge funds directive.

However, as the honeymoon period draws to a close and the Tory right start to shout about loss of sovereignty through policies such as the European investigation order, it remains to be seen just how long such harmonious London-Brussels relations will last. Watch this space.