By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 11 September 2013 . European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told MEPs that Euroscepticism could lead to the same divisions that sparked the Great War . The president of the European Commission made an astonishing attack on the Tories last night, warning that those who want to ‘roll back Europe’ risked returning it to the time of ‘war and trenches’. Criticising David Cameron’s promise to claw back powers from Brussels, Jose Manuel Barroso suggested that his tough line on Europe was an insincere attempt to counter the rise of the UK Independence Party. Despite being a supposedly neutral public servant, Mr Barroso – a former prime minister of Portugal – suggested Ukip would beat the Conservatives in next year’s European Parliament elections because ‘when it comes to being against Europe, people prefer the original to the copy’. But a source close to Mr Cameron said Mr Barroso should ‘respect the views of the governing party elected by Britain’. He suggested it might be ‘more convenient’ for Mr Barroso if Ukip did well, because he could ignore them, adding: ‘The Prime Minister will continue to stand up for the British people, fighting to ensure they get the best deal in Europe and have a say on it in a referendum by 2017.’ Mr Barroso’s comments came in his annual address to the European Parliament. In a thinly veiled attack on Mr Cameron, he insisted Europe needed ‘more integration’, not less. He said: ‘Let me say this to all those who rejoice in Europe’s difficulties and who want to roll back our integration and go back to isolation – the pre-integrated Europe of the divisions, the war, the trenches, is not what people desire and deserve. Speaking in possibly his last state of the union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Barroso said the pre-integrated Europe of 'the divisions, the war, the trenches, is not what people desire or deserve' UKIP leader Nigel Farage criticised the comments and national democracy will not lead to 'the Western Front or 1914' ‘The European continent has never in its . history known such a long period of peace as since the creation of the . European Community. It is our duty to preserve it and deepen it.’ In exchanges with Martin Callanan, the . Tory leader in the European Parliament, Mr Barroso said: ‘Your party is . looking like Ukip. ‘Ukip may finish first in Britain. I . have some doubts whether you are going to be elected or if it is not . Ukip that will be the first force in British elections. That is probably . why they are going to vote for [Nigel] Farage.’ Mr Callanan last night condemned the . intervention as ‘outrageous’, adding: ‘He is effectively a civil . servant, but he has turned it into an increasingly political role. ‘The idea that the alternative to . greater EU integration is a return to us fighting each other in the . trenches of the First World War is just risible. ‘David Cameron has got him rattled. He . thought he could isolate Britain, but there is growing support for the . Prime Minister’s ideas in Germany, the Netherlands and others.’ EU residents should pay the same for all international phone calls across its 28 nations, Brussels said last night. Mr Barroso also wants to abolish mobile roaming charges in the EU. Proposed legislation would stop customers paying for incoming calls when travelling in the EU from July 2014. It would end all roaming charges two years later. The plan, which must still be approved by the EU Parliament and all EU governments, also aims to cap EU-international fixed-line call costs the same as domestic long-distance calls.
Jose Manuel Barroso warned Euroscepticism could lead to divisions that sparked the First World War .
Said people do not 'desire or deserve' return to pre-integrated Europe .
Comments criticised by British UKIP leader Nigel Farage and Tory MEPs .
Farage said national democracy would not lead to repeat of 1914 .
By . Jason Groves . PUBLISHED: . 07:19 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 11 September 2013 . European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told MEPs that Euroscepticism could lead to the same divisions that sparked the Great War . The president of the European Commission made an astonishing attack on the Tories last night, warning that those who want to ‘roll back Europe’ risked returning it to the time of ‘war and trenches’. Criticising David Cameron’s promise to claw back powers from Brussels, Jose Manuel Barroso suggested that his tough line on Europe was an insincere attempt to counter the rise of the UK Independence Party. Despite being a supposedly neutral public servant, Mr Barroso – a former prime minister of Portugal – suggested Ukip would beat the Conservatives in next year’s European Parliament elections because ‘when it comes to being against Europe, people prefer the original to the copy’. But a source close to Mr Cameron said Mr Barroso should ‘respect the views of the governing party elected by Britain’. He suggested it might be ‘more convenient’ for Mr Barroso if Ukip did well, because he could ignore them, adding: ‘The Prime Minister will continue to stand up for the British people, fighting to ensure they get the best deal in Europe and have a say on it in a referendum by 2017.’ Mr Barroso’s comments came in his annual address to the European Parliament. In a thinly veiled attack on Mr Cameron, he insisted Europe needed ‘more integration’, not less. He said: ‘Let me say this to all those who rejoice in Europe’s difficulties and who want to roll back our integration and go back to isolation – the pre-integrated Europe of the divisions, the war, the trenches, is not what people desire and deserve. Speaking in possibly his last state of the union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Barroso said the pre-integrated Europe of 'the divisions, the war, the trenches, is not what people desire or deserve' UKIP leader Nigel Farage criticised the comments and national democracy will not lead to 'the Western Front or 1914' ‘The European continent has never in its . history known such a long period of peace as since the creation of the . European Community. It is our duty to preserve it and deepen it.’ In exchanges with Martin Callanan, the . Tory leader in the European Parliament, Mr Barroso said: ‘Your party is . looking like Ukip. ‘Ukip may finish first in Britain. I . have some doubts whether you are going to be elected or if it is not . Ukip that will be the first force in British elections. That is probably . why they are going to vote for [Nigel] Farage.’ Mr Callanan last night condemned the . intervention as ‘outrageous’, adding: ‘He is effectively a civil . servant, but he has turned it into an increasingly political role. ‘The idea that the alternative to . greater EU integration is a return to us fighting each other in the . trenches of the First World War is just risible. ‘David Cameron has got him rattled. He . thought he could isolate Britain, but there is growing support for the . Prime Minister’s ideas in Germany, the Netherlands and others.’ EU residents should pay the same for all international phone calls across its 28 nations, Brussels said last night. Mr Barroso also wants to abolish mobile roaming charges in the EU. Proposed legislation would stop customers paying for incoming calls when travelling in the EU from July 2014. It would end all roaming charges two years later. The plan, which must still be approved by the EU Parliament and all EU governments, also aims to cap EU-international fixed-line call costs the same as domestic long-distance calls.
Jose Manuel Barroso told MEPs that Euroscepticism could lead to the same divisions that sparked the said the pre-integrated Europe of 'the divisions, or deserve' UKIP leader Nigel Farage criticised the comments and national democracy will not lead in the . trenches of the First World War is just