David Cameron at an EU summit in Brussels. Demotix/ olivier Vin. All rights reserved.The post-summit media coverage suggests the UK’s EU referendum is only a debate between two wings of the Conservative party (essentially Tory eurosceptics for ‘remain’ versus Tory eurosceptics for ‘leave’), with much attention given to what Brexit might actually mean.
Yet, while the threat of a Brexit vote is real, little attention is being given to what Cameron’s ‘reform deal’, agreed last Friday in Brussels, will do to the UK’s future influence and role in the European Union – beyond celebrating or denigrating his rather eclectic set of special measures for the UK.
Yet the UK, even if it votes to stay in, is likely to be a much weaker player, on the sidelines of the EU.
