Politicians rarely elevate the reduction of influence of their countries into formal party policy. But, on Monday, David Cameron, UK Conservative party leader, confirmed that he will withdraw Tory MEPs from sitting within the European People’s party in favour of a new group. A dismal error.

The EPP – a coalition of centre-right parties – is the largest group in the European parliament, controlling more than one-third of its votes. As a consequence of Mr Cameron’s decision, the UK is now alone in Europe in having no delegates within the bloc. His new group – the “European Conservatives and Reformists” – is only one-fifth of the EPP’s size.