British attorney general warns EU of legal action

(BRUSSELS) - Britain will not hesitate to take legal action against attempts by the EU to grab more powers that are alienating people across Europe, the British attorney general will say in a speech in Brussels on Monday.

Dominic Grieve was to say that he is "frankly astonished" by what he said were efforts by the EU's executive arm, the European Commission, to override the rules of the 28-member bloc.

His comments come against a backdrop of growing tension between Brussels and an increasingly eurosceptic Britain, over issues ranging from immigration to free trade and bureaucracy.

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to renegotiate Britain's relationship with the EU and then hold an in-out referendum on membership of the European Union by the end of 2017, so long as he is re-elected in 2015.

"To put it bluntly, the UK plays by the rules and we expect others to do so too," Grieve will say in the speech, according to extracts released by his office.

"This is something we take very seriously. We have brought a number of legal challenges to protect our interests and we will not shy away from doing so in future."

He did not specify which areas Britain might lodge legal challenges in.

Grieve was also to say that he believes European institutions are not respecting rules negotiated by democratically elected national governments and are "losing touch with the people of Europe".

Speaking ahead of the speech, Grieve insisted that his speech "won't just be the usual Euro-bashing by a British minister."

"I am going to Brussels to speak -- partly in French -- as a lawyer, to lawyers and spell out what lies at the base of Britain's and other Member State's frustrations with the EU," he added.

A poll published at the weekend in a British newspaper showed that the difference in attitudes towards the EU between Britain and its continental partners was widening.

The survey in the Observer showed that just 26 percent of Britons think the EU is a "good thing" overall compared with 62 percent of Poles, 55 percent of Germans and 36 percent of French.

Forty-four percent of Germans oppose giving Britain special membership terms and 16 are in favour, while in France 36 percent are against and 26 percent in favour. Poland is different, with 23 percent against and 38 percent in favour.