David Cameron is refusing to meet Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor and the current president of the European Council, before this week’s crucial summit.

The Tory leader is citing “diary commitments” for failing to attend a meeting of the centre-right party leaders, headed by Mrs Merkel, on Thursday.

Mr Cameron was invited to the gathering as leader of a party affliated to the European People’s Party grouping in the European Parliament. The new Prime Minister of France, François Fillon, is also expected to be among ten leaders gathering at the Belgian town of Meise tomorrow.

A spokesman for Mr Cameron said that he had sent his apologies to Mrs Merkel, saying that he was too busy to attend the gathering.

The Tory leader issued a pledge during his leadership campaign in 2005 to pull out of the avowedly federalist grouping but was then forced to postpone the split until after the 2009 elections, to avert a revolt from pro-European Tory MEPs.

He is attempting to build a new grouping but has attracted only a handful of potential recruits so far to the new Movement for European Reform.

Mrs Merkel, whose Christian Democrat Party dominates the EPP, has threatened to freeze out the Tory leader if he goes ahead with his plan to leave.

His decision to refuse the invitation to meet centre-right leaders tomorrow drew criticism from pro-European Conservative MPs and MEPs. “I regret that a Conservative Party leader is not going to be present at this very important preparatory meeting,” said Christopher Beazley, MEP for the East of England.

David Curry, Tory MP for Skipton, said he was not suggesting that Mr Cameron had contrived an escape from the EPP meeting but hoped that he would take advantage of the “important network” the body provided. “I do hope that in time David [Cameron] will feel comfortable enough to attend these family gatherings.”

Ian Taylor, Conservative MP for Esher and Walton, said he believed that it was very important to attend premeetings before key summits.

Denis MacShane, the Labour MP and former Europe Minister, said: “David Cameron’s decision to snub the president of the European Council on the eve of a major summit shows that he would rather placate the Right of his party than argue for Britain’s interests with fellow European leaders.”

Mr Cameron has rejected Labour’s claims that the split would leave the Tories isolated from the German-French axis of influence in Europe.

“Instead of being reluctant roommates of the EPP, we can now operate as friendly neigh-bours, working together when we agree but within our own distinctive political group,” he said last June.

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