New Conservative MPs show shift in attitude to Brussels

Laura Sandys, one of the Conservative's most pro-European MPs, was succeeded on Friday in South Thanet by Craig Mackinlay - a fellow Tory who co-founded the UK Independence party.

There could be no better illustration of the Conservative party's shift on Europe. Across England, pro-European Conservatives standing down from their parliamentary seats have been replaced by new MPs united in their dissatisfaction with Brussels.

A dozen incoming MPs in such seats said they were more eurosceptic than their predecessors, underlining the shift in the party over the course of the past two elections on the merits of EU membership.

Prominent pro-Europeans who stepped down before Thursday's election included Ms Sandys, Sir Richard Ottaway, Tim Yeo, Anne McIntosh, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Sir John Stanley and Stephen Dorrell.

Tom Tugendhat, who has succeeded Sir John, says he wants renegotiation but "would probably vote to pull out at this stage".

Alan Mak, who has replaced former minister David Willetts, says he is a "pro-Britain pragmatist" who wants a better deal but the UK "shouldn't be afraid of leaving if we don't [get one]."

Splits over Europe have plagued the Conservative party since the 1980s. The issue contributed to the downfall of Margaret Thatcher and John Major - and was an irritant for Mr Cameron during his first term.

But Tory MPs on both sides of the divide believe the party is less torn over the European issue than it has been for some time as they are able to unite behind the principle of a referendum.

"We are all eurosceptics now," says Sir Malcolm, a former foreign secretary. "Even someone like myself who would vote to stay in the EU wants reform,.

"The crunch distinction now is not whether you are eurosceptic or not but if you want out of the EU or not."

Pro-Europeans, while watching their ranks depleted, are encouraged that the party appears to be coalescing around a mildly eurosceptic position rather than shifting towards the more extreme option of leaving the EU under almost any circumstances.

"A reformed Europe would be more acceptable to most of us," says Victoria Prentis, the daughter of Tory peer Lord Boswell and the new MP for Banbury, replacing Sir Tony Baldry.

"I am a pragmatist. I am less pro-European than my dad and my predecessor. I think the wings of the party [on both sides] have been shaved off."

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Mr Mackinlay is an obvious candidate to bulk up the eurosceptic wing, as is David Mackintosh, who replaced Brian Binley as MP for Northampton South.

David Davis, a former Maastricht rebel and flag-bearer of the right of the party, estimates that up to 60 of Mr Cameron's MPs would campaign for Britain to leave under almost any circumstance.

In the last parliament, the same number of MPs signed up to the pro-European Mainstream Group, chaired by former minister Damian Green. But Mr Green has lost important allies in the Commons following the departure of European flag bearers such as Ms Sandys and Mr Dorrell.

In a party where euroscepticism has become the default position, the 2015 intake is unlikely to bring him new recruits.

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