In taking this stance Mr Cameron has now driven the British government into a cul-de-sac and he doesn't have a reverse gear. It would appear that Mr Cameron hasn't considered a couple of very important scenarios.

It simply doesn't make sense to leave the largest trading bloc in the world - with a GDP of €12.6 trillion in 2011 - and give up the ability to influence the rules of the market where almost half of all UK exports end up.

Cameron's much-trailed speech, the build up for which he described as akin to tantric sex, has left me feeling more like a neglected wife than a satisfied lover.

Despite being heavily-trailed as a 'red meat' speech for his army of eurosceptic backbenchers, it ended up being a speech in which bets were well and truly hedged. Count the number of times our PM used the word 'if'.

The ten things you need to know on Sunday 20 January 2013... 1) 'A VICIOUS AND COWARDLY ATTACK' From the Press Association: "David Cameron ha...

David Cameron will deliver his long-awaited speech on Britain's relations with the European Union later this week, Foreign Secretary William Hague has...

The only thing Cameron will achieve by seeking to renegotiate terms of membership is that Britain will be left ostracised, resented and alone. And the failure to meet expectations back home for a repatriation of powers would risk sending the UK hurtling towards the exit.