Caroline has criticised David Cameron’s ‘bleak’ vision for the European Union.

Ahead of David Cameron’s speech in Brussels tonight the she said that David Cameron’s proposed reforms would ‘take our continent in the wrong direction’. 

Caroline said:

“Cameron’s bleak vision for Europe, and the changes he proposes, would take our continent in the wrong direction. He wants an EU that further benefits financiers in the City of London, and he’s desperate to cut benefits to EU citizens living here – despite the fact that the UK actually gains more in tax from EU migrants than we pay out in benefits. [1]

“The EU must urgently change direction, away from an obsessive focus on competition and free trade and towards placing genuine co-operation and environmental sustainability at its heart. As a first measure the EU should scrap the proposed Transatlantic trade deal (TTIP). It’s also vital that we work together to build a compassionate response to the unprecedented Mediterranean migrant crisis, which has seen more people displaced that at any time since World War II. 

"We now have a huge opportunity to make EU institutions more democratic and accountable. That means taking power away from the unelected European Commission and handing it to democratically elected politicians. It also means ensuring that EU countries work together to make cross-border decisions but that power is kept in local communities whenever possible.” 

Ends

Notes

1. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/05/eu-migrants-uk-gains-20bn-ucl-study