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Tory election campaign concentrated too much on Europe
Former chancellor, and Tory leadership contender Kenneth Clarke has said he regretted the fact that Europe had dominated his party's general election campaign. He warned against Euro scepticism in the leadership race and said the Tories had to rid themselves of internal feuds over Europe.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's World This Weekend, Mr Clarke, who is pro European, called for a "settled policy" on Europe, though there are a wide range of differing opinions held by the six leadership contenders.
"If the leadership campaign is all determined by how Euro-sceptic the leader
is, the Conservative Party will find it's still obsessed with its internal
debate to the exclusion of the general public."
Mr Clarke was speaking just a few minutes after former Home Secretary Michael Howard had said that there should be a fundamental renegotiation of Britain's relationship with the European Union. Interviewed on the BBC's "On the Record" programme, Mr Howard raised the prospect that the controversial Common Agricultural Policy could be scrapped as a part of a "new deal for Europe".
Mr Clarke's view of Europe was far more inclusive than Mr Howard's, as he stressed continued membership of the EU and its advantages for Britain.
Concentrated too much on Europe
He also expressed unhappiness at the way the Tory election campaign had
concentrated on Europe, at the expense of good news on the economy.
He thought it "a pity" that the Conservatives had spent a week in which there was "a dream scenario" on the economic front of falling unemployment, low inflation and tax cuts taking effect,talking about Europe.
"It did the Conservatives harm because here we were with our strongest suit,
which was the most successful management of a market economy amongst the major
states of western Europe,and it kind of didn't feature!"
Obsession must be cured.
The former chancellor, commenting on the continued feuding in his party over Europe said "I think we have to cure ourselves of this obsession. It means beginning by having a serious, settled policy of our relations with Europe, and, in my opinion, that means continued membership of the European Union, and
acceptance that there are great opportunities for this country within it."
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