Now business says Cameron’s Kaminski alliance is damaging Britain’s influence

Employers’ groups have joined the tide of condemnation against David Cameron’s alliance with European extremists. Today’s Financial Times reports that employers have voiced growing fears Britian’s influence in Europe will be limited.

Cameron’s withdrawal from the European People’s Party, to join a group led by Michal Kaminski – who has long been dogged by allegations of racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism – has “reduced the Tories’ immediate ability to affect events”, says the report, adding:

“The party is now forced to lobby from within the confines of its new – and much smaller – home, the European Conservatives and Reformists group…

“For critics, a telling moment came late last year when a dozen legislative reports for a new financial services reform package were to be assigned. The ECR vied for at least two of the reports, which are of grave concern to the City, but received none.”

Earlier this month, Left Foot Forward reported further evidence of the Conservative party’s waning influence in Europe, when it was announced mainstream centre-right European leaders, like Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy, had pledged their support to Gordon Brown.

Cameron, however, continues to defend Kaminski, telling Left Foot Forward in January that the accusations against Kaminski are “absolutely not true”, insisting he would never “join up with parties that were racist, homophobic or extremist in any way”.