COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

David Cameron has received overwhelming support from British voters over his historic decision to veto changes to the EU Treaty.



The first poll conducted since the acrimonious Brussels summit shows that a total of 62 per cent of people agreed with the Prime Minister’s defiant stance, with just 19 per cent against.

Furthermore, most people believe the euro is doomed to fail and almost half think the EU will break up. They also fear the summit has given too much power to Germany.



These figures come as:

Pro-EU Tory Cabinet rebel Ken Clarke, the Justice Secretary, faces a No 10 showdown with Mr Cameron tomorrow after calling the veto ‘disappointing, surprising’ and ‘a strange turn of events’.

It was revealed that French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Mr Cameron his conduct was ‘unacceptable’, and that Mr Cameron hit back saying: ‘I’m sticking to my guns.’

Chancellor George Osborne clashed with the BBC’s John Humphrys over claims that the Corporation reports of the veto were ‘biased’ in favour of the EU.

Well-placed sources confirmed pro-EU Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg was not contacted personally by Mr Cameron in the hours before he used the veto.

Lib Dem peer Lord Oakeshott challenged Mr Clegg, saying he ‘must stop Cameron cringing to the Tory rabid Right and get him back to the EU negotiating table’.

Amid the frenetic recriminations following the summit, the poll shows Mr Cameron’s dramatic move to set Britain on a separate course from the other 26 nations in the EU is wholeheartedly endorsed by voters.

The summit triumph has also wiped out Labour’s lead in the opinion polls.



Both Labour and the Conservatives are now on 35 per cent, with the Lib Dems on 14. According to the exclusive poll for The Mail on Sunday, nearly two-thirds of voters believe the new EU initiative, designed to save the euro by imposing tough economic controls on bankrupt European countries, is probably a waste of time.

A total of 65 per cent say the euro currency is doomed, with fewer than one in five convinced it will survive. And there is a clear consensus that the rot is likely to spread to the EU institution itself. Almost half of voters say it will shatter, with just 29 per cent confident it will stay intact.

The survey also suggests that Mr Cameron’s bold stance – hailed as a great triumph by Tory MPs – has served to whet the appetite of voters who want him to go further.

Two in three want a referendum on Britain’s future in Europe with just 22 per cent against.

Calls for Mr Cameron to press home his advantage and demand that Brussels hands back more powers to London produce an almost identical level of support.

The public are in no doubt that despite all the grandstanding by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr Cameron came off best in Brussels. When asked if the Prime Minister had done well from the negotiations, more than half agreed. In comparison, German Chancellor Angela Merkel scored 44 per cent with Mr Sarkozy languishing in third place on 35.

Interestingly, as Britain steps back from Europe, there is growing nervousness at the advance of German influence in the new-look EU. Seven out of ten say the summit has given too much power to Germany – with a mere 13 per cent disagreeing.

Nor is the jittery feeling restricted to Britain. Warning of a backlash, an article in leading German newspaper Der Spiegel said: ‘We are going to have to put up with a bit of Germanophobia.’

Charles Grant, director of the London based Centre for European Reform think tank, said: ‘For the first time in the history of the EU, the Germans are now in charge.’

Survation interviewed 1,020 people online on Friday evening and Saturday.