Angela Merkel and David Cameron staged a show of unity ahead of talks in Downing Street today by trumpeting a “common agenda” for EU reform.
Amid fears of an anti-austerity government being elected in Greece, the two leaders stressed the importance of “stability” and deficit reduction.
Hopes were high at No 10 that Mrs Merkel will offer Mr Cameron a compromise on immigration by backing proposals to reduce benefits for some new arrivals from within the EU.
However, Berlin made clear in advance that the German Chancellor will not give ground on Europe’s free movement of labour rights.
“We meet to discuss key issues to advance our common agenda,” the two leaders said in a statement today.
In what could be seen as a stern message that Greece will not be allowed to weaken bailout terms requiring it cut its debts, they emphasised the need for a “stable and competitive” Europe.
EU leaders fear radical Left-wing party Syriza will win power in Greece’s election on January 25. The party’s leader, Alexis Tsipras, wants debt relief and an end to “austerity politics”.
Germany has hinted it is prepared for Greece to leave the eurozone rather than compromise on sound finances. The leaders’ statement stressed the need for “global recovery”, climate protection and world health.
Senior Tory David Davis urged Mr Cameron to make clear to Mrs Merkel that Britain could quit the EU unless granted real reforms to curb migration. He told BBC Radio that she needed to believe that the “prospect of us leaving is real, it is not just sabre-rattling”.
Mrs Merkel is not meeting Ed Miliband, whose team complained to the Foreign Office for not warning him of her visit. Labour said Mr Miliband had raised the party’s “agenda for European reform” with her before.
