premise: In what was widely interpreted as intervention in the British election campaign, a speech by European Commission President Jacques Santer attacking Euro-scepticism was roundly condemned here Tuesday.
  The Conservatives leapt on Santer's speech, delivered in English in Amsterdam to the Dutch Association of European Journalists, in which he called Euro-sceptics "prophets of doom".
  Foreign Secretary Malcom Rifkind said he "passionately welcomed" the speech as highlighting Conservative reservations about European intergration.
  One Conservative party source said Santer's speech was "manna from Heaven" allowing the Conservatives to highlight their own Euro- scepticism and attack opposition party Labour, which they claim would surrender Britain's interests to Europe after the May 1 poll.
  "If it is right for Britain, I will keep my feet on the brakes," said Tory Prime Minister John Major. "(Labour leader Tony) Blair would go to the (Intergovernmental Conference in) Amsterdam and put his foot on the accelerator to a federal Europe."
   What caused Santer's speech to be condemned?
hypothesis: Santer's speech