THE BRITISH government's increasing isolation from other European countries over the future of the EU was highlighted yesterday by the foreign affairs committee of the House of Commons. But the committee supported the broad thrust of the government's proposals for the Inter Governmental Conference on reforming the EU's institutions.
"There is a real prospect that the United Kingdom may find itself isolated on a number of major issues," the committee concluded in a report on the Inter Governmental Conference (IGC).
It drew attention to evidence given by Sir Stephen Wall, the UK's ambassador to the EU, that many European countries "worry about whether we (the UK) remain committed to making a success of our membership of the European Union".
The committee's report also contained a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Kenneth Clarke, pledging that the government would "have no hesitation" in vetoing any treaty amendment designed to force sterling to rejoin the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.
Mr Clarke wrote: "The government's position remains that while exchange rate stability is desirable, the way to achieve it is through the common pursuit of sound fiscal and monetary policies."
Meanwhile, Mr Peter Shore, the arch Eurosceptic former minister in the opposition Labour party also on the committee, said there was "very little evidence" the UK was "winning the argument" on the priorities for the IGC.
The committee supported the government's opposition to the extension of majority voting in EU affairs, especially in the areas of justice, home affairs and foreign policy. It feared, however, that there would be a "concerted attempt at the IGC" for justice and home affairs to be transferred into the main decision making apparatus of the EU.
The MPs were particularly concerned about the apparently increasing power of the European Court of Justice. They recommended that special IGCs should be held to review court judgments based on controversial interpretations of the EU's founding treaty.