British PM criticized for not reaching out to Hollande
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E-mail Xinhua, May 17, 2012
British Prime Minister David Cameron was criticized on Wednesday for not reaching out to the new French president and being unable to propose a "proper" growth plan for Britain and Europe.
Besides sending a brief congratulatory message shortly after François Hollande won the presidential runoff 10 days ago, Cameron has not talked to the new French president, the parliament learnt during the prime minister's question time.
In response to opposition leader Ed Miliband's question of what discussions Cameron has had about growth plan for Europe with Hollande, Cameron said he had a brief discussion with the new president after his victory, and that he looks forward to having a longer discussion with him before the G8 summit starts this weekend.
"I look forward specifically to discussing what more we can do to help in terms of European growth," Cameron said.
Miliband said it is a shame that the prime minister did not meet Hollande three months ago when he visited Britain, and urged the government to put forward a growth plan for both Europe and Britain.
"Europe needs a proper growth plan which this prime minister has failed to argue for. Britain needs a proper growth plan which he has failed to come up with," Miliband said.
"Business is pleading with the government for a growth plan," he added.
Britain has been pushing forward austerity measures with the rest of Europe to counter the debt crisis, while the new French president has advocated a shift of focus to stimulate growth.
The idea was first criticized by some European leaders and analysts, who worry it might hinder the effort of a fiscal pact putting together to tackle the crisis, but is now gradually gaining support and being adopted by European officials.
On Tuesday, Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to make joint effort to reinvigorate growth in Europe after their first meeting in Berlin.
Despite their differences, Hollande said France and Germany must work together and offer joint ideas ahead of an EU summit next month on reviving economic growth, a position that was strongly echoed by Merkel.
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