Watered Down?

Apparently according to the Telegraph:

David Cameron may overrule Vince Cable by diluting controversial new EU employment laws to be introduced next month, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Ohhhh goody Cameron is standing up to Europe! Only, no-one really believes that and reading further down the article confirms our cynicism:

The Prime Minister’s office secretly commissioned its own legal advice on the Agency Workers Directive, which concluded that the impact of the new laws could be moderated.

Moderated eh? How?

A well-placed source said: “The advice showed that there are elements of gold-plating of the EU directive that could easily be stripped out. For example, people who set up their own firms and then contract their services to other companies need not be covered. These changes could be done relatively easily through regulations.

Ah right so the UK has added to this Directive, which means Cameron can remove the additions pretend that he's fighting the EU but the original EU law goes ahead as planned anyway? And we are supposed to be grateful?

The hopelessness of stopping the original Directive is subsequently revealed:

Another Downing Street source said that the advice had not provided the “golden bullet” that Mr Cameron had hoped for. “These are very difficult issues, both politically and legally,” the source added.

But no matter:

A Downing Street spokesman said: “We are now looking at every part of employment law as part of the red tape challenge. We want to do everything we can to help employers and drive growth.”

Which in other words means; 'we'll pass the EU Directive as it is, pretend we've stood up to the EU because conference season is just round the corner and we want to look tough on the issue of Europe for the benefit of our stupid members.'

I'm bored.