Nick Clegg added to David Cameron's woes over Europe last night, slamming Tory hopes of repatriating powers.

The Deputy Prime Minister did not pull any punches as he described the flagship Conservative aim as a "false promise wrapped in a Union Jack".

The Liberal Democrat leader said that the rest of the EU would never allow Britain to "pick and choose" powers.

And he warned that the idea of repatriation was being exploited to "unravel" the UK's relationship with the EU.

His comments came just hours after Chancellor George Osborne tried to appease Tory rebels over Europe.

The move increases pressure on the Prime Minister ahead of negotiations with other EU states in a few weeks, with the Coalition's stated position to argue for a freeze only.

Further tensions between the parties were exposed as the LibDem leader emphasised another flash point – the issue of repatriation.

He said: "In reality, it is a false promise wrapped in a Union Jack."

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "There are two parties in a coalition and I think it's not newsworthy to say those two parties and the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have different views on the issue of Europe."