Gareth Thomas MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Europe, responding to Michael Heseltine’s interview in the New Statesman, said:

“Even Michael Heseltine has now admitted that David Cameron’s approach to Europe is driven more by narrow party interest than Britain’s national interest.

“His own backbenchers don’t trust him, former Tory Ministers openly criticise him, and other European leaders have refused to back his arbitrary timeline of 2017.   

“Labour wants to see Europe work better for Britain, and we believe reform is possible and necessary. But the tragedy is that David Cameron’s weakness at home means he is unable to approach EU reform in a sensible way.”