Hill had previously replied "non, non, non" when asked if he wanted the EU job, but said on Wednesday night: "I am not a reluctant conscript. "I'm not a great one for looking for names or badges or boxes," he said. Hill told journalists in Brussels that he would not view himself as a Eurosceptic. No 10 pointed out that the European parliament has the opportunity to approve or reject a new commission "as a whole, as a slate, not as individuals". Martin Schulz, the president of the European parliament, also suggested that he could be rejected for being too Eurosceptic, although he later backtracked and insisted he would be treated fairly at confirmation hearings. MEPs had warned that they would be looking closely at the interest in deciding whether to confirm his appointment. He acted to head off concerns over his significant holding in the £140m global public affairs company Huntsworth, which operates in Brussels. He added: "The PM has said very clearly that we will of course be working with all members of the European commission to secure Britain's national interest."Ĭameron's surprise decision to put Hill forward to represent Britain has been branded a shambles after the peer had to sell shares in a lobbying firm to avoid criticism over conflicts of interest. The spokesman said that Cameron had underlined his preference for securing an economic portfolio that would enable the British commissioner to play a pivotal role tackling Europe's lack of competitiveness.Ĭameron's spokesman stressed that the prime minister's opposition to Juncker's presidency was always based on "arguments around principles and priorities and never anything else". "Mr Juncker reiterated his commitment, set out in his manifesto, to work with Britain and the other member states to address the concerns of the UK over the next few years." "The prime minister set out his vision for reform of the EU and the UK's relationship with it," said Cameron's spokesman.
#Highfive meeting free#
However, he has said the free movement of labour within the union is not up for grabs, and risked the wrath of Eurosceptics by lavishing praise on one of their hate figures, former commission head Jacques Delors.ĭowning Street said that Cameron and Juncker spent 40 minutes discussing the challenges facing the EU over the next five years, before being joined by Hill. He has also stressed he is not in principle opposed to the UK repatriating some powers from Brussels - a key demand of Cameron in the run-up to an in/out referendum mooted for 2017. Juncker, a fixture in EU politics for decades and architect of the eurozone, has insisted that descriptions of him as an arch-federalist are overblown. "They have known each other for quite a while."Ī photo of the celebratory gesture was distributed by the European commission shortly after their hour-long meeting, which Downing Street described as substantive, constructive and amicable.Ĭameron used the meeting to lobby for Lord Hill of Oareford, his nominee for Britain's place on the commission, to be handed a key economic portfolio in Mr Juncker's team. "I think that's how Mr Juncker greets quite a few people," said the prime minister's official spokesman.
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