European Council

Chris Kelly Excerpts

Monday 11th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. In November, the shadow Chancellor said that

“David Cameron has failed to persuade other European leaders to deliver the reform of and real terms cut in the Budget”;

and we were accused by the shadow Foreign Secretary of being “isolated and marginalised”; but importantly, the Europe spokesperson said that

“If he does get a good deal for British taxpayers then we will commend him for that”.

[Chris Kelly (Dudley South) (Con)]

I heartily congratulate my right hon. Friend who has shown that he is an adept negotiator and demonstrated resilience without the need to wield a handbag. Can he suggest any ways to improve EU negotiations so that they do not involve all-night sittings that are designed to wear down Heads of Government?

[The Prime Minister]

For the record, may I say that I do not have a handbag, which will reassure my hon. Friends, some of whom I know I have upset recently. I promise that I do not have a handbag and I have no plans to get one—[Interruption.] No, neither a manbag nor a handbag.

On the issue of how the EU does business, I agree that these all-night sittings are not a sensible way to discuss rationally things such as budgets. We need to try to find a way to start our work in the morning and try to complete it, rather than starting in the evening and going all the way through the night.