France plots eurozone 'breakaway group'

France is drawing up plans to create a breakaway organisation of eurozone countries with its own treaty, parliament and headquarters.

The proposal would see a formal "union within a union" created, but would lessen Britain's influence in Europe, according to the Telegraph. Prime minister David Cameron is believed to be drawing up urgent plans to stop Britain being "railroaded" into agreeing to decisions taken by the new eurozone bloc. Weaker countries such as Greece could even be barred from the new eurozone, under radical suggestions from some parties. Speaking yesterday, Merkel insisted Germany would not support a smaller eurozone. "We have a single goal and it is to stabilise the eurozone as it is today, to...