Juncker named as European Commission president

[dutchman]

David Cameron’s bid to block Jean-Claude Juncker has ended in defeat after the arch-federalist was nominated as the next president of the European Commission.



Mr Juncker was confirmed as the official nominee at the end of a tense lunch in Brussels during which Mr Cameron told EU leaders they could “live to regret” their decision.

"This is a sad day for Europe," Mr Cameron is understood to have told his counterparts.

Herman Van Rompuy, the current president, said: “Decision made. The European Council proposes Jean-Claude Juncker as the next President of the European Commission.”

The Prime Minister has warned European leaders including Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, that it could push Britain towards EU exit.

Mr Cameron forced a vote on the issue and lost 26-2, with only Hungary supporting him.

The vote represented a departure from the decades-old tradition that Commission presidents are chosen by a consensus of national heads of government.

The PM insisted on a vote being taken and formally minuted, in order to force fellow leaders to put their cards on the table and have their support for the controversial Luxembourger recorded.

[dutchman]

[rebbonk]

Mr Cameron told EU leaders they could “live to regret” their decision

They may well live to regret it, but that depends on Camoron [sic] giving us a simple in/out referendum.

The EU doesn't want us (in fact, it never did) but it loves our money. There has only ever been one thing any good to come out of Europe, and that is the transport back to the UK.

[dutchman]

Cameron said he would campaign for an exit vote if Juncker was chosen, I suspect he's backtracked on that promise already?

[dutchman]

...and he has!

Cameron calls to 'congratulate' Juncker

Despite campaigning against him, David Cameron called Jean-Claude Juncker today to congratulate him on securing the nomination to be the next president of the European Commission, Downing Street said.

A spokesman for Number 10 said: "The Prime Minister called the Commission President-designate, Jean-Claude Juncker, this afternoon. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr Juncker on running a successful campaign and securing the Council nomination."

They added: "They discussed how they would work together to make the EU more competitive and more flexible. The PM welcomed Mr Juncker's commitment of finding a fair deal for Britain and Mr Juncker said that he was fully committed to finding solutions for the political concerns of the UK."

[rebbonk]

How does that man stand up? - He has no spine at all!

[dutchman]

After EU defeat, Britain's Cameron "can do business" with Juncker



Britain can do business with Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister David Cameron declared on Monday after failing to prevent EU leaders giving the Luxembourger the bloc's most powerful job in a defeat that could drive Britain closer to leaving the EU.

Cameron's loss of an unprecedented summit vote he forced over the next European Commission president sharpened concern that the world's sixth largest economy may be sliding towards the exit. Only Hungary sided with Britain in the 26-2 vote.

In an article published in the Britain's Daily Telegraph on Monday after he telephoned Juncker to congratulate him on Sunday, the British leader struck a more conciliatory tone. "We will now work with him," he wrote, declaring in the headline: "The Juncker defeat is not a fatal blow. Britain will champion change in Europe." "If... we can agree that we are not heading, at different speeds, to the same place - as some have assumed up to now - then there is business we can do," Cameron wrote.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who wants to take Britain out of the EU, said Cameron was a 'loser'.

"The idea that David Cameron is in any position to negotiate a radical new deal that will advance Britain’s interests in Brussels is looking ever more preposterous," he said.