The pre-release strategy of the Prime Minister's media team for his major speech on Europe with extracts made available to the media Thursday evening, makes clear how far the Conservatives have moved on Europe. Bloomberg's, BBC and Le Figaro online coverage suggest that an exit from the EU is a very real possibility if the Conservatives win the next election. Extracts of the speech released early are widely available online. The Prime Minister was due to make the speech this evening in Amsterdam but it was cancelled due to events in Algeria.
Releasing extracts prior to the speech was clearly a decision taken after they knew that the speech would be postponed till next week as they wanted to dominate the agenda for the weekend's media, I assume. The choice of extracts is fairly stark and will raise concerns as they suggest the speech is more negative on the EU than earlier briefings to the media which suggested that Cameron is determined to keep the UK in the EU. I assume that the way the media would interpret the extracts was considered and so the choice of extracts was deliberate. Could it be that the extracts are more extreme and the final speech will be more pro-EU - we shall see, but it will certainly raise international and business concerns.
Certainly the impression in international media, growing concerns in the USA government and UK business even some UK media is that the UK has taken leave of its senses over the whole issue. What price will UK plc pay over this process in the short, medium and long term?
Releasing extracts prior to the speech was clearly a decision taken after they knew that the speech would be postponed till next week as they wanted to dominate the agenda for the weekend's media, I assume. The choice of extracts is fairly stark and will raise concerns as they suggest the speech is more negative on the EU than earlier briefings to the media which suggested that Cameron is determined to keep the UK in the EU. I assume that the way the media would interpret the extracts was considered and so the choice of extracts was deliberate. Could it be that the extracts are more extreme and the final speech will be more pro-EU - we shall see, but it will certainly raise international and business concerns.
Certainly the impression in international media, growing concerns in the USA government and UK business even some UK media is that the UK has taken leave of its senses over the whole issue. What price will UK plc pay over this process in the short, medium and long term?
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