I am in one sense I am pleased the UK is holding out against some aspects of the EU deal proposed by Merkel and Sarkozy. As I have argued, that deal is dire for democracy.
At the same time I loathe his reasoning - that puts the City of London at the core of concerns.
It leaves me strangely conflicted.
What is so obviously true is that with low interest rates, mass unemployment and a crisis of hopelessness sweeping Europe, whilst we know that at the same the environment is being trashed, the we need a Green New Deal for Europe.
And that such a Green New Deal for Europe has to reflect, respect and even encourage diversity within a framework of mutual respect on which we can all agree.
That's so far from what's on offer. No wonder the politicians in Brussels are failing.
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I wondered how you would respond to this. Pretty much agree on both aspects, Cameron has done the right thing, but for the absolute worst of reasons.
I’m in the same boat, Richard. The Eurozone crisis has exposed fully that for many politicians, decision makers and their advisers democracy is something they simply pay lip service to when they think they have to. And now they think they have reason not to they aren’t. Cameron’s defense of the City at this time – apart from being intensely crass – simply exposes the City’s pivotal role in the ranks of the enemies of democracy.
From a UK perspective an interesting question now is what this does within the Tory party and to the coalition. Now we have clearly been told to get lost: that our days of being inside but outside at the same time (wanting the benefits but few of the ‘costs’), and that we will in future definetly be in the slower lane of a two speed Europe, will I think lead to deepening calls within the Tory party for a referendum and that this will become an issue that they cannot bury and it will therefore overshadow the remainder of this parliament. The question then is, what will the Lib Dems do?
The UK has adopted a “cake and eat it” attitude to Europe — only integrating when it suits the UK’s purpose — and this is now obvious to the entire world.
And your note recognising “the City’s pivotal role in the ranks of the enemies of democracy” is becoming increasingly evident to our European “partners”. No other country in Europe controls a flotilla of tax havens dotted around the world facilitating the evasion of £billions of tax revenue every year.
The conspiracy and deception occurring in the City is almost too grotesque to comprehend. Closing the tax havens is the only way to severe the legs from this vile monster.
We need some real leadership on the European issue, not kow-towing to a few noisy Tory M.P.s
I have written something for tomorrow’s Journal which i shall post on Labour Left when it has been in the paper. You are right though it is a very difficult issue.
The daft fact is that Cameron could have negotiated a better deal on his own terms. He has got absolutely nothing, and probably damaged even more our “real economy”
Like you I feel conflicted, but now take the view that our European partners see the present crisis as he perfect storm to hoist Britain by its own petard.Our over powerful and increasingly anti democratic financial sector has never played the game on European matters. Much closer to North American neoliberal model of financial jiggery pokery , it has sustained and coordinated the web of tax havens around the world, gone on a gambling spree that has brought about the present plight and still expects the European tax payer to remain sanguine about acting as a safety net. Cutting Britain out is in a sense excising a malignancy which has had a debilitating affect on the social development of Europe It is evident that our present administration have a single agenda ,save the city at the expense of everyone else, which is clearly at odds with our partners. The time is coming when the real cost of tax havenry world wide becomes a major issue of social justice in which a re-moralized Europe plays a major role.
never mind the pros and cons none of the commentators have grasped the fact that with this one act of defiance Cameron has either by accident or design (and I fear it is the former as I don’t think he is capable of the latter) encapsulated the mood of the nation toward Europe thereby ensuring a conservative majority at the next general election
I very, very much doubt it
People don’t vote n the EU
They vote on the economy
“We are reaping the wind of 30 years of vitriolic UK press coverage” quoted an experienced Brussels chap. There is something quite disturbing about being on the same side as the Daily Express, Mail etc., No, many of us cannot do it, the EEC has to be superior to any little Englander experiment, to any Thatcherite diversion of the really ecomomic issues facing us all. All progressives have to defend Europe both for its long term social market with generally superior conditions for the common man and its integrated Europe agenda. Surely 27 countries cannot be wrong and Cameron led by the old ant-European fringe which has damaged so many Tory governments cannot be right. Thank God for Geoffrey Howe( night of the long knives) & Kenny Clark – the thinking man’s Tory.