By Martin Banks - 16th March 2009
Already people are coming up to me and asking what the Tories are up to. Others have expressed dismay at the decision. I wonder what people like Angela Merkel think?
Caroline Flint
UK Europe minister Caroline Flint admits that Europhiles in Britain are "on a hiding to nothing" trying to sell the merits of the EU to a sceptical public.
But, speaking in Brussels on Monday, she expressed optimism that turnout in this June's European elections will still be better than average.
She said, "I am not saying the EU has always got it right or that we can get the public to love the EU.
"But I hope we can get the message across better than in the past about the added value the EU brings to our lives and this, clearly, is where the parliament and commission have a role to play."
Addressing a British Chamber of Commerce in Belgium briefing, she also criticised the Tories' decision to opt out of the EPP-ED group in parliament after the elections.
"This will weaken Britain's role in Europe," she declared.
"Already people are coming up to me and asking what the Tories are up to. Others have expressed dismay at the decision. I wonder what people like Angela Merkel think?
"Even senior (eurosceptic) Tory shadow ministers like Kenneth Clarke have been silenced or gagged."
She also said she was "worried" about the possible impact in the election of the right-wing British National Party which hopes to get at least one MEP elected.
She said the BNP had tried to "capitalise" on the recent disputes at the Lindsey oil refinery in Britain and the subsequent debate about free movement of workers.
"The extreme rhetoric expressed by such groups makes it all the more important for us to emphasise the good things the EU is doing," she said.
Flint, who was addressing an audience of EU policymakers, NGOs, stakeholders and journalists at the residence of the UK ambassador to Belgium, also hit out against "protectionist rhetoric" which, she said, was not the answer to the current global economic downturn.
"There is the temptation to retreat into protectionism but this is against the principles at the heart of Europe."
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