David Cameron is taking his proposed deal with the European leaders down to the wire, as is typical of a British prime minister who has great tactical skills, backed by very little strategic vision. Cameron needs a deal at the European Union (EU) summit on February 18-19 so he can return to London waving his piece of paper saying “I have a deal”. He will then use his success to trumpet his ability to win change, even if the changes are relatively modest, and he can move on to lead the fight to stay in what he will call the new EU.
Cameron knows that Britain’s anti-European parties have been beaten into electoral submission, even if they were a real threat during his first term as prime minister, but he is stuck with his very risky and entirely unnecessary promise to hold a referendum, so he wants to get it out of the way as soon as possible. President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has just finished a day of negotiation with Cameron, to come up with a draft text, even though Tusk warns it contains “outstanding issues”.
After all, the drama of Cameron’s overblown rhetoric that he would reform the EU single-handedly for Britain’s benefit, the main issue has come down to what sort of benefits EU citizens should receive when they first go to live in the UK. The anti-Europeans of United Kingdom Independence Party will try to call Cameron’s bluff. The rest of Britain too should ignore the posturing of their leader, but prepare to vote to stay in the EU, despite his miserable half-hearted backing of an institution that is essential for Britain and Europe.
