President of EU Commission says Cameron is leaving the leaving the ‘main family’ of Europe

From LabourList

President Barroso has criticised David Cameron’s decision to withdraw from the European People’s Party:

“Look, first of all it is up to each party to decide in which grouping it wants to sit, it’s up to each party to decide so I cannot let say criticise specific decisions but of course I regret the decision. As you said, my party is a member of the EPP and I regret this decision because in Europe we are the main political parties in the main political family, those that really shape the European agenda.

“As President of Commission I’ve been keeping a very clear cross-party position. As you know at the Commission we have members of the EPP, we have members of the Socialists and Social Democratic family, we have members of the Liberal family, so as President o f the Commission I have – I am not party-orientated, I try to have a consensus approach but of course these are the most influential families in Europe, those who shape Europe, so I have discussed this issue several times with David Cameron, so he will not be surprised to listen to me saying that I regret that decision, in fact.”

The only allies David Cameron has so far found for his new group are the Czech Civic Democrat Party (ODS) and the Polish Law and Justice (PiS) Party. Vaclav Klaus, the founder of the Czech ODS, has said climate change is a “global myth” and the PiS has attracted criticism for its attitude to gay rights. PiS MP Artur Gorski warned that the election of Barack Obama would mean “an impending catastrophe, the end of the civilisation of the white man”.

Business leaders have also criticised David Cameron’s policy of withdrawal which according to the British Chamber of Commerce “could do significant damage to British business interests”.