THE warning today to William Hague from ex-premier John Major, former party chairman Chris Patten and former Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd that he has taken the Tories too far to the right over Europe may be dismissed by him as the misplaced interference of yesterday's men with their fingers no longer on the public pulse.

But Mr Hague may do well to wonder whether he has wasted the one card that gave the Conservatives the advantage over otherwise streets-ahead Labour - the policy of Britain being "In Europe, but not ruled by Europe."

For it had far clearer meaning and appeal to voters than the government's still-hesitant "wait and see" stance over the single currency and apparent determination to delay the debate on it.

But now Mr Hague has taken the Tories a giant step further, having at the party conference last week pledged to demand UK opt-outs from EU directives.

This is a policy that can be read as "In Europe, but out of it whenever we choose" and, perhaps, even as "out of it altogether."

But while this may be music to the ears of the Euro-sceptics in the Tory Party and in the country, it is hardly the score to charm the voters on the centre- ground - those who hold the key to government - who, for all their concerns about the way the EU is run, would retain the economic advantages of being in Europe while striving to improve the way it is run.

Mr Hague has left the Tories open to damaging charges of becoming the "Loony Right" and allowing Labour to become still more the centrist party of moderation and caution.

It could also enable Labour to be more able to creep off its nervous position of saying little about its European convictions and become somewhat more open about its evident belief in eventual membership of the euro.

At least this risky lurch the Tories has taken may fire up the debate the government has tried to put off.

But the question remains; Has Mr Hague gone too far to the extreme for the country to follow?

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