At 49, Cameron is long since past getting too excited about birthday presents, but today, when he and Merkel gather at his country pile in Chequers, Buckinghamshire to blow out the candles on his cake he is hoping her bag will be full.
His problem is the rise of anti-European feeling within Britain — fanned by the crisis in the Eurozone, which — although the UK is not in the single currency — has had a serious effect on the British economy. The migrant and refugee crisis in Europe is also causing alarm — despite Britain having border controls and not being in the borderless Schengen area.
Cameron's dilemma is that he passionately believes Britain's place is in Europe, but he is faced with a large body of his own party who want out. He is trying to renegotiate Britain's membership, in an effort to win back powers to Westminster and to halt welfare tourism, whereby EU citizens freely arrive in Britain and take immediate advantage of a number of welfare allowances.
He said in his closing speech at his party's annual conference Wednesday: We all know what's wrong with the EU: it's got too big, too bossy, too interfering. But we also know what's right about it: it's the biggest single market in the world.
"Believe me, I have no romantic attachment to the European Union and its institutions."
"I'm only interested in two things: Britain's prosperity and Britain's influence and that is why I am going to fight so hard in this renegotiation, so we can get a better deal and get the best of both worlds," he said
I believe we're on the brink of something special: a Greater Britain. Let's get out there and make it happen. #CPC15 pic.twitter.com/lEd7xiPcYe
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) October 7, 2015
On the general principle of more integration with in Europe he said:
"Britain is not interested in 'ever closer union' and I will put that right."
A new anti-Europe campaign was launched Friday, called Vote Leave, made up of Conservative, Labour and anti-EU party UKIP donors and supporters. It is funded by some serious money and a variety of entrepreneurs who believe Britain should leave the EU. It joins the other campaign group Leave EU, together with UKIP, in campaigning for a Brexit in the referendum due to be held by the end of 2017.
I welcome the @Vote_leave campaign. Making the business argument for leaving the EU is important if we are to win the referendum. #Brexit
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) October 9, 2015
Jon Moynihan, a businessman and supporter of the new group Vote Leave and board member of Business for Britain said Friday: "We want a Common market, not a political union.
"Everybody agrees that changes are needed to be made on immigration. Some immigration is good, some is not good. It's going to be easier for us to come up with a sensible immigration policy outside of Europe."
Meanwhile, Merkel has her own demons. She desperately wants to keep the UK from leaving, but is also trying to deal with the crisis within the Eurozone as well as the massive migration and refugee problem, which has seen a rise of anti-EU sentiment across Europe and a drop in her personal ratings at home. She wants to push for "ever closer union", as predicated in the Lisbon Treaty and wants to protect the right of all EU citizens to freedom of movement.
Here is our first campaign video, which appeared on @BBCNewsnight tonight https://t.co/nW5Y4jj9RE Vote Leave, take control
— Vote Leave (@Vote_leave) October 8, 2015
Michael Gahrer, a European lawmaker from Merkel's CDU party, told the BBC Today program:
"We cannot construct an ever-looser union. I think that would not be the right answer. The [British] empire has gone once and for all."
As Merkel and Cameron sit across the table tonight, he will want her to do all she can to keep Britain inside Europe while also winning back significant powers to the UK. Despite it being his birthday, he can't have his cake and eat it.
