Immigration and Europe: Time for tact
Just as the Tories initially underestimated the German government’s animosity towards an immigration cap, previously they had overestimated its willingness to join them in opposing Mr Juncker’s candidacy for the presidency of the Commission. On such occasions this tone-deafness has cost them diplomatic capital.
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, reckons that a wider range of communication channels would help. He says some Conservatives have been too optimistic about the prospect of treaty change, partly because Wolfgang Schäuble, Germany’s integrationist finance minister, tells them he is in favour—though many other senior figures in Berlin are not.