Seems that England is looking at splitting away from the EU

What can you say about country which considers relationship with USA "most important bilateral relationship" in the world just because the United States is "most rich and mighty" country?

I never said he wasn't rich, he's a tory MP, but he's hardly a household name.

You would hardly find anyone else in EU with such an experience of licking the American ass

Lord Heseltine, the former Conservative deputy prime minister, said Britain had constantly underestimated Europe's determination to make the EU and the euro work. "They read the British press, they read the speeches, they know what's being said and they don't detect in us a partner for the venture they have undertaken. And therefore they are faced with a dilemma. They want us there. But they want us there as partners with commitment. There is the fear that our initiatives are not to strengthen the venture but to act contrary to it.

Heseltine said he feared that Britain's semi-detached status allowed Germany to dominate the EU. "I just see the German chancellor becoming more and more the leader of Europe. And I'm not in the business of that happening at the expense of this country. I have no criticisms of the German position. They're doing what I would do in their position."

I knew what you meant.

Actually your last post did make me laugh, but not the one before that. Well that's comedy for you.

[...]
Tory MPs who describe themselves as "Euro realists" claim the "silent majority" of the public do not want the UK to quit the EU. But they believe that a reluctant David Cameron is being pushed in that direction by Tories who believe Britain would be "better off out". The Prime Minister insists he wants the UK to stay in a reformed EU, but in a much-promised speech later this month will pledge a referendum after the 2015 election on the terms of membership. That has raised fears of British withdrawal if voters reject the "new settlement" Mr Cameron wins.

One senior Tory MP said today that Mr Cameron was "all over place" on Europe, adding: "He is trying to get the hardline Tory Eurosceptics and the UK Independence Party off his back but he is quietly urging others to make the positive case. He thinks his speech will close down the debate until after 2015 but it will open up a Pandora's box." Downing Street is said to be encouraging about 20 Tory MPs to publish a letter warning that leaving the EU would cause "massive damage" to the UK economy.

Conservatives are the driving force behind a new cross-party think tank, the Centre for British Influence through Europe, to be launched on 30 January. Business leaders, academics and diplomats are expected to join forces with Tories Kenneth Clarke, the Minister without Portfolio, Lord Heseltine, the former Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Mandelson, who was Labour's Business Secretary, Alan Johnson, Labour's former Home Secretary and Lord Rennard, the Liberal Democrat peer.

Lord Mandelson told The Independent today the new group is mainly a Conservative-inspired initiative, because that is where "activism" is needed. "Quite a number of Tory MPs are fed up with the hardliners grabbing all the limelight. David Cameron needs the other side of the argument – those with a pragmatic, balanced view of Europe – to get organised and speak up," he said.
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[...]
It is understood the government will give a favourable response to the group's proposals to repatriate more than 130 powers from the EU. It is expected that the report will be hailed for proposing "interesting and creative" ideas as ministers praise the group for drawing up proposals that are designed to keep Britain in a reformed EU.

But the two "nuclear" options are expected eventually to be rejected. One Whitehall source said of the veto proposal: "There are some interesting points about mechanisms and, yes, there are emergency brakes in the Lisbon treaty. But do we want France to have the same powers? Do we want a President Mélenchon [the left-wing candidate who polled strongly in the first round last year] to say he does not like the idea of Asian financial houses setting up in London?

"You have to think through the consequences of these proposals. How do you define financial services? They are not defined in the treaties. It is all single market stuff which is decided by QMV."

The prime minister is keen to reform the working-time directive. But there are doubts about whether Leadsom's "yellow card" proposal can work. It is understood that this cannot be used to repeal existing legislation.
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