About: Conservatives

Johnson looks to cement UK leadership lead after surviving TV debate

Brexit figurehead Boris Johnson will look to cement his stranglehold of the UK leadership race Wednesday (19 June) after emerging unscathed from a TV debate against his four remaining rivals.

Italy’s far-right hopes to form new broad Conservative alliance in Europe

Italy’s far-right party Fratelli d’Italia has joined the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE), with the aim of forming a broad right-wing alliance in the next European Parliament following the EU elections in May.

Weber leaves door open to any pro-EU ally

Socialists and liberals are natural allies for the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) in the next European Parliament, according to Manfred Weber, the EPP's lead candidate for the European elections in May.

Rajoy ousted from Spanish government, replaced by socialist Sánchez

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, plagued by corruption scandals, lost a confidence vote in the Spanish parliament on Friday (1 June) and will be replaced by opposition leader Pedro Sánchez, a socialist who vowed to call elections soon.

Reinventing Britain’s centre ground

Under Theresa May, everything is on the line: from the UK economy to the future of the Union itself. If May fails the test of Brexit, it won’t be the British people who get rid of her. The Tories will move quickly, daggers drawn.

Cameron to get his EU deal over English breakfast

With a prospect of late-night talks after the first day of the EU summit opening today (18 February), Council President Donald Tusk has scheduled an "English breakfast" tomorrow in hope of a final compromise to help UK Prime Minister David Cameron to campaign for a ‘yes’ vote in the Brexit referendum.

Poland demands apology after Schulz calls judicial changes ‘coup’

European Parliament chief Martin Schulz yesterday (14 December) compared the political situation in Poland to a "coup", drawing the anger of the Polish government which is locked in a battle against the country's top court.

Helpful tips for the Tories

The UK already enjoys a special position within the EU. Andrew Duff explains why the Tories’ renegotiation demands may simply be impossible.

Tories, UKIP MEPs join far-right in voting against development goals

A recent vote in the European Parliament provided the opportunity to look into which MEPs voted against EU policies to promote the development agenda. Surprisingly, all the Eurosceptic and conservative British MEPs voted against.

German Eurosceptic AfD chides Merkel after state surge (UPDATED)

Riding a wave of momentum after a strong showing in a regional election, Germany's new populist party said on Monday it was time for Chancellor Angela Merkel to wake up and accept it as a new conservative force in German politics. EURACTIV Germany reports.

Neville Rolfe: Gender equality will not start with quotas

Sexual equality will not be created by quotas, but by changing our culture, and allowing competent and confident women to move up the career ladder. It's about pipelines, said Baroness Lucy Neville Rolfe in an interview with EURACTIV.

Erdogan’s AKP party joins Cameron’s conservative political family

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has joined the European Conservatives and Reformists political family, the Turkish government announced yesterday (12 November).

Britain and EU: The worst is yet to come, so let’s be smart

Britain appears increasingly disinterested in Europe, mostly because it does not want to take part in the solution to the eurozone crisis. European leaders appear less willing to factor in Britain’s interests, especially within the Council, argues Vivien Pertusot.

UK’s Europe ‘audit’: True debate or eurosceptic vote-winning ‘ploy’?

The statement from British Foreign Secretary William Hague that his government would conduct a full "audit" of the impact of EU law on Britain has been condemned by commentators as a mere public relations stunt. But the coalition government has defended it as a chance for constructive debate on the role of the EU institutions at national level.

Barroso lashes out at British Tories over eurozone crisis

Addressing the European Parliament yesterday (3 July) in Strasbourg, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso slammed British euro-sceptics for their divisive behaviour and  taking pleasure in the eurozone's troubles.

UK referendum puts coalition to the test

Britons vote today (5 May) in a referendum on electoral reform that has split the year-old coalition government and raised doubts as to whether the partnership will last.

How the UK’s new Tory-led government sees its EU policy

Although the British Conservative Party is openly critical of some aspects of the European Union, it has nevertheless made Europe free, stable and prosperous and its member states must now focus on issues such as climate change, poverty and energy security, writes William Hague, the UK's new foreign secretary, in a commentary for Europe's World.

Brown pledges to steer UK into EU mainstream

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown will today (19 February) pledge to keep Britain "in Europe's mainstream" if re-elected this year, criticising the more Eurosceptic stance of a Conservative opposition expected to win power come May.