Strasbourg

Tory MEPs pledged undying loyalty to Europe yesterday in a vain effort to prevent Britain being typecast as the villain of the Community.

“We Conservatives are committed to helping to form the future of Europe,” declared the group leader, Sir Henry Plumb. “Our commitment is total,” echoed the budget spokesman, Lord Douro.

They were both trying to hold back the tide of anti-British feeling flowing through a parliamentary debate on the latest summit failure.

Both the European Commission President, Mr Gaston Thorn, and the current President of the Community Council of Minister, Mr Claude Cheysson, delivered coded attacks on Britain. A succession of MEPs blamed Mrs Thatcher for the latest breakdown in talks.

As Parliament debated the issue, the Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe announced in London that Britain will not pay the £100m million advance requested by the Commission. As he did so, Sir Henry was defending Britain’s record in Europe.

“I can understand the temptation for nine governments to shift the collective burden of blame on to a tenth,” he said. “It is a convenient alibi to accuse the British of lack of Community commitment but it is the reverse of the truth.”

Britain, he pointed out, had always been prepared to remain a significant net contributor to the Community budget. It had never said “we want our money back.”

Mr Cheysson accused Britain of “obstinacy” in refusing the latest offer of a £600 million rebate, as part of a new payments system linked to national prosperity.

Mr Ken Collins, acting leader of the Labour group in the European Parliament, accused Mrs Thatcher of negotiating “with all the subtlety of a cruise missile” and urged the British Government to withhold all further payments to the Community.

Anna Tomforde adds from Bonn: West German government sources reacted with relief yesterday to what they described as a “very moderate statement” on the European Community by Sir Geoffrey Howe.

They pointed out that the British Government had rejected calls that Britain should withhold its regular payments to the Community. Bonn was also pleased that Sir Geoffrey had stressed that London wanted to avoid any action that might damage the prospect of decisive progress on the Community’s financial problems.

The sources showed understanding for Britain’s decision, reaffirmed yesterday, to withhold an advance payment of £100 million to the EEC, due in April.