Gareth Thomas MP, Labour’s Shadow Europe Minister, responding to reports of remarks by a senior Berlin official ahead of Angela Merkel’s forthcoming visit, said:

“These remarks by a senior Berlin official on the eve of the Chancellor’s visit simply confirm that the gap between what Conservative backbenchers are demanding and what Mrs Merkel is offering remains unbridgeable.

"Europe does need to change, but the tragedy for Britain is that since being elected, David Cameron seems to spend more time negotiating with his backbenchers than with other EU leaders.”

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