David Cameron: Europe has taken 'one big step backwards'

Prime Minister David Cameron said Europe had "taken one big step backwards" by choosing Luxembourg's former Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker to become the 28-nation bloc's new chief executive.

"We must accept the result and Britain will now work with the Commission president as we always do to secure our national interest," said Mr Cameron, as he spoke in Brussels.

"But let me be absolutely clear, this is a bad day for Europe. It risks undermining the position of national governments, it risks undermining the power of national parliaments and it hands new power to the European Parliament."

Mr Cameron views Mr Juncker as the embodiment of a pro-integration, consensus-favouring, empire-building Brussels clique who won't return powers to nations -- something that voters appeared to want after Eurosceptic parties made serious gains in May's European Parliament elections.

The 59-year-old Mr Juncker still needs to be confirmed by the European Parliament before starting November 1st at the helm of the EU's powerful executive arm, taking over from José Manuel Barroso.