Even Nick Clegg disagrees… Deputy PM blasts plans for EU army as 'dangerous fantasy'

The Deputy Prime Minister poured scorn on the notion of a Europe-wide force, which opponents warn would undermine Britain's standing in the world.

The idea had been mooted by Jean-Claude Juncker – Brussels’ top bureaucrat - in an article for a German newspaper. 

The president of the European Commission claimed a collective force across the 28 EU states would act as a deterrent to Russian aggression in eastern Europe. 

But speaking this morning on his weekly LBC Radio phone-in, the Liberal Democrat leader dismissed the suggestion.

"Jean-Claude Juncker and [Ukip leader] Nigel Farage are both dangerous fantasists when it comes to this issue," Mr Clegg said.

“It's not going to happen. It doesn't matter whether Nigel Farage says it might happen or Jean-Claude Juncker says it might. He can't create a European army.

"The only two powers in Europe who have got any military clout to throw around are France and Britain. 

“If you really want Europe to punch above its weight militarily, the way to do it is not to create these fantasies of European armies, you have got to get the French and the British defence arrangements and establishments working more effectively together."

Mr Juncker used a newspaper article over the weekend to call for a “common foreign and national security policy” to collectively “take on Europe's responsibilities in the world”.

He wrote: "It would show Russia that we are serious when it comes to defending the value of the European Union."

The comments sparked a backlash in Westminster, with politicians lining up to dismiss the policy as “foolishness”.

Ukip MEP and defence spokesman Mike Hookem said an EU army would be a “tragedy” for the UK.

“Ukip have been ridiculed for years and branded scaremongers for suggesting that the UK’s traditional parties were slowly relinquishing control of our defence and moving toward a European Army," he added.

"However, yet again, Ukip’s predictions have been proved correct.

“A European army would be a tragedy for the UK. We have all seen the utter mess the EU has made of the eurozone economy, so how can we even think of trusting them with this island’s defence?"

And Tory MP Dr Julian Lewis, who sits on the House of Commons' Defence Select Committee, warned that creating a new fighting power without the United States was a mistake.

“Having blundered in making clumsy overtures to Ukraine, the EU now wants to tell President Putin that it will stand up to him without the support of the United States,” he said.

“The whole basis of Nato’s existence was to show any potential aggressor that an attack on any of its European member states would instantly trigger a conflict with America. This foolishness strikes at the heart of European security.”

Labour's Shadow Defence Secretary also rubbished the idea of a cross-border force.

"Nato is and should remain the cornerstone of Europe's collective defence," Vernon Coaker said.

"It is Labour's long-standing position that we do not support the idea of a standing European army, navy or air force - any decision over the use of UK Armed Forces must remain with the UK Government."

Mr Clegg, whose party is projected to lose up to half its current number of MPs at the general election, also used his LBC show to argue for greater cooperation with France on defence issues.

"I personally think we could do a lot more of that. My coalition partners are somewhat reluctant to go the whole hog on that,” he said.

“I think we could work much more closely with the French and get more bang for our bucks."