By Martin Banks - 18th January 2012
My greatest hope for the Danish presidency is for some plain speaking
Martin Callanan
Senior British MEP Martin Callanan has told MEPs that Europe "stands on the edge of a political and economic catastrophe".
The MEP was speaking in parliament in Strasbourg in a debate with Danish premier Helle Thorning-Schmidt.
Callanan, who leads the ECR group in parliament, called on the incoming Danish presidency to focus on economic competitiveness.
Denmark took over the six-month rotating presidency of the EU on 1 January.
Speaking on Wednesday, Callanan said, "My greatest hope for the Danish presidency is for some plain speaking.
"It is sometimes said that the most courageous act in democratic politics is speaking 'truth unto power'.
He said the presidency had "begun well with its frank assessment of the damage a financial transaction tax would cause."
Callanan, a Tory member, added, "I hope the presidency will continue in this vein and tell all leaders of the EU that the time has come to face the truth about the eurozone and the underlying European economic weakness."
He was also scathing of the EU summit in Brussels in December which he called a "staggering missed opportunity".
He told the plenary in Strasbourg, "Instead of facing reality the council has embarked on another round of introspective institutional navel-gazing."
He said the EU was "currently in the midst of not one but two great crises."
We inadvertently attributed Martin Callanan's quotes to Helle Thorning-Schmidt. We apologise for any confusion this may have caused.
