TORY wounds over Europe reopened to damaging effect for the British government in the House of Commons last night in the build up to crucial negotiations on the future of the EU.
The Foreign Secretary, Mr Malcolm Rifkind, struggled to hold the party line in the face of a fierce onslaught from Tory Euro sceptics. Outlining the government's approach to the forthcoming Inter Governmental Conference (IGC) in Turin, he promised Britain would not be driven further towards a "United States of Europe".
But his efforts to bridge, the chasm between the Tories pro and anti European factions were wrecked by sharp interventions from the Conservative benches.
Sir Edward Heath, who as prime minister took Britain into the Common Market, launched a scathing attack on the White Paper detailing the government's negotiating position. The whole thing was addled with schizophrenia", he said.
The former chancellor, Mr Norman Lamont went further, suggesting that Britain might one day have to contemplate withdrawal from the EU. Calling for a referendum not just on a single currency but on the whole future of Europe, he warned "Europe is amassing powers which will soon give it the characteristics of a state. At that point Britain will have ceased to be an independent, self governing country."
To jeers from Tory pro Europeans. Mr Lamont said "We are creating a monster machine remote, insensitive, pushing out a mass of unwanted, often ludicrous paper. He claimed public opinion in Britain was moving against Europe.
The government avoided what could have been a highly damaging vote on its strategy for the IGC by debating it on a technical motion to adjourn the House on which Labour did not force a division.
But ministers' tactic sparked criticism from its own side. Sir Edward said it was a "disgrace" that MPs had been prevented from having a proper debate on the conference. If the objective was to hide divisions in the party it was a failure, he said.
Mr Rilkind pledged Britain was not "going to be driven into further centralisation for ideological reasons by those who maintain that the days of the nation state are over".
Nor was the Government going to be "ratcheted, by our existing obligations, beyond what is sensible or publicly acceptable".
He echoed the prime minister's promise earlier at question time to try to rein in the powers of the European Court of Justice, which has angered Tory backbenchers with rulings on a maximum working week and fishing rights.
Tory MP Mr Bill Cash said the government was not prepared to tackle thorny issues facing the EU, and accused ministers of "appeasement and defeatism".
The shadow foreign secretary, Mr Robin Cook, taunted the Tories over their divisions. He said the government was holding the debate on a technical motion because it could not produce one that all Tory MPs could support.
Labour's view was that "we are in Europe and we are in Europe to stay", Mr Cook declared.
Of the White Paper he said its general thrust would leave Britain out on a limb on the sidelines of negotiation".