Cameron's Juncker Snub 'Offended Luxembourg'

David Cameron has been accused of offending the whole of Luxembourg by saying he did not want Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.

Viviane Reding, an MEP for Luxembourg and European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, attacked the British Prime Minister on Sky News for not being a team player.

Mr Cameron publicly opposed Mr Juncker's appointment to the post but failed to win the support of his fellow leaders of state, suffering a 26-2 defeat when he forced a vote on the matter.

Ms Reding scolded the Prime Minister for "playing the man and not the ball" and said Mr Cameron could not expect to bring about changes by "sitting on the bench".

She told Sky News' Murnaghan programme she would not advise Mr Cameron to nominate a Eurosceptic as Britain's European Commissioner, but said that there was a "good argument" for sending a strong woman.

Once Mr Juncker takes up his post in November, he will be required to form a 'cabinet' of commissioners made up of representatives from all of the EU countries.

Britain's current commissioner is Baroness Ashton, who has held the External Relations portfolio.

There has been much debate over who will get the nomination as the next British commissioner with Andrew Lansley and Lord Howard in the frame.

It comes at a time when Mr Cameron has already stated he is determined to win back powers from the EU, particularly over the free movement of people and the rights of people to receive benefits.

Ms Reding said that while Britain was entitled to set its own rules on benefits, the free movement of people would always be "non negotiable".

Asked about Mr Cameron's opposition to Mr Juncker, Ms Reding said: "I think the whole Luxembourgian country and all its population was offended because that was clearly playing the man and not playing the ball and we did not appreciate all the negative sounds which came out of Great Britain.

"I can tell you that politically speaking if you want to be a strong team player then you do not decide to sit on the bench.

"(Sending a Eurosceptic) will be an absolutely bad move from the British point of view because simply if you want to construct something together with 27 other nations you cannot send somebody who wants to destruct the whole building which has been built during the last decades.

"(Sending a woman) certainly would help because I think that there are not enough women candidates and no government, no European government, can be built in this type of world without enough female talent on board.

"So it will be a good argument to send a strong female politician to be part of the team of Jean-Claude Juncker."