May 20, 2012
Greece will face a disastrous future in which it will default on its debts and may be forced to leave the euro if it votes for "cranky extremists" in next month's general election, Ken Clarke has warned.
In one of the starkest warnings by a British cabinet minister of the dangers posed by the Greek crisis, the justice secretary also said Britain was "heavily exposed" to banks in the eurozone.
Earlier Ed Balls warned of a "catastrophe" for Britain and the eurozone unless Germany allowed a relaxation of the tough austerity programme.
"Somebody has got to persuade Germany that this is a catastrophe for Britain, Europe and the world and that Germany has got to change course," the shadow chancellor said on Sky News's Murnaghan programme.
On the same programme, Clarke dismissed as "ludicrous" any suggestions – which he attributed to Balls – that growth measures should be funded by more borrowing. Greece would have to abide by the terms of its bailout programme agreed with other eurozone leaders, Clarke said.
"The Greek voters have really got to face up to reality. It is very, very difficult for them, they are having a terrible time, these are hardships inflicted on them by the irresponsibility of their old politicians. But they cannot just vote for saying: 'Could people just carry on giving us some money so we do not have to change anything.'"
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