Letter to the Editor: Successor group needed to press case for active UK engagement in Europe

From Mr Roland Rudd and others

Sir, The prime minister is right to put the economic reform agenda at the heart of the British presidency of the European Union. The success of the British economy in fostering growth and employment gives Tony Blair credibility to lead a new consensus on Europe's future economic approach in the aftermath of the rejection of the constitutional treaty. The EU needs to focus on completion of the single market, the resurrection of the services directive and the goals of the Lisbon agenda. Now more than ever, the European Commission must stand by its new agenda for growth.

All this can be achieved under the terms of the current treaties, so long as there is sufficient political will. The pressure for institutional reform as laid out in the constitutional treaty will not dissipate. But Europe's leaders will need to earn the public support to sell the necessary changes.

In Britain we should not lose sight of the fact that our membership of the EU is vital to our continued economic success. It is essential, therefore, that the campaign group Britain in Europe, which would have fronted the Yes campaign, is succeeded by an organisation that will continue to put the case for Britain's active engagement in Europe.

Roland Rudd
Guy Dawson
Charles Dunstone
Chris Gibson-Smith
Simon Lewis
Anthony Nelson
Mike Rake
Sir Nigel Rudd
Bryan Sanderson
Sir Martin Sorrell
Sir Stephen Wall