tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post113522359304367467..comments2023-10-07T15:01:23.872+01:00Comments on Not Little England: Blair's failure over EuropeMatGBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02821264556751176639noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135277013860202092005-12-22T18:43:00.000+00:002005-12-22T18:43:00.000+00:00Anatole Kaletsky - a Eurosceptic - wrote a lovely ...Anatole Kaletsky - a Eurosceptic - wrote a lovely <A HREF="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,173-1930778,00.html" REL="nofollow">piece</A> explaining why Britain should scrap the rebate the other week. While it remains in place, it allows France to direct all budget debate towards the rebate and prevent Britain from pushing for CAP reform. The CAP is the big issue, yes - but it's not going anywhere while the rebate remains, I suspect.Jonn Elledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08985678262466055580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135275604070865142005-12-22T18:20:00.000+00:002005-12-22T18:20:00.000+00:00Agree P-G, Blair's inability to deal with Chirac i...Agree P-G, Blair's inability to deal with Chirac is a problem. But Blair is one politician, Chirac is on his way out as well.<BR/><BR/>The failure of one or two politicians is a reason to chenge the politicians, not the institution itself.MatGBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02821264556751176639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135275002524830492005-12-22T18:10:00.000+00:002005-12-22T18:10:00.000+00:00jonn,"I think it's better to make the effort to ge...jonn,<BR/><BR/>"I think it's better to make the effort to get Europe right, despite the continuing incompetence of President Chirac, rather than just accepting our fate in obscurity."<BR/><BR/>And how do we do that? By merrily caving in and letting Chirac take us to the cleaners for absolutely jackshit in return? By cravenly grabbing our ankles everytime anyone suggests that we are "bad Europeans"?<BR/><BR/>Or, just perhaps, by saying: "this is a crock of shit, is going to get much much worse and is being paid for by us. No more. Either you do it our way or we take our money (and trade deficit) somewhere else."<BR/><BR/>Sort out CAP and the budget rebate is a no-brainer: there will be such a monster swell of cash left in the budget that we will be able to scrap it entirely. But Chirac has to move first. Blair completely failed to put him on the spot.The Pedant-Generalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08738418480281658868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135272142528331842005-12-22T17:22:00.000+00:002005-12-22T17:22:00.000+00:00In a century's time the world's big powers are lik...In a century's time the world's big powers are likely to be huge states like the US, China and India. Britain alone will have little economic or political clout in a world that works on that scale - how could it? Keeping all national sovereignty at Westminster will count for little the UK is too feeble to do anything with that sovereignty.<BR/><BR/>By pooling sovereignty in certain areas - particularly economically - with our allies, we could make ourselves stronger: we won't always get our way, but when we do it'll count for more. <BR/><BR/>That doesn't mean that Europe as it stands is perfect; in fact, it's mainly bloody awful. The CAP; the lack of democratic legitimacy; the lack of R&D spending; the fact that several of the continent's largest economies are spluttering. All these things and plenty more need fixing.<BR/><BR/>But if Britain is to retain any influence in world affairs it will be as part of a larger block. I think it's better to make the effort to get Europe right, despite the continuing incompetence of President Chirac, rather than just accepting our fate in obscurity.Jonn Elledgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08985678262466055580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135253094741785212005-12-22T12:04:00.000+00:002005-12-22T12:04:00.000+00:00Britain's place is in Europe....Because without th...Britain's place is in Europe....<BR/><BR/>Because without the CAP and the Reach directive, Germany would have invaded Poland.<BR/><BR/>We need the EU like we need a hole in the head. It undermines our common law and our traditional liberties and offers half baked nanny socialism in their place.Serfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03298915724856708344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17312454.post-1135238747419604652005-12-22T08:05:00.000+00:002005-12-22T08:05:00.000+00:00Britain's place is within Europe. It has to be.You...<EM>Britain's place is within Europe. It has to be.</EM><BR/><BR/>You know, that isn't much of an argument. You can't criticise Blair for failing to make a case and then not even give a hint of what that case should be. Nor do you define what 'in Europe' actually means - does it mean being part of a free trade agreement, or does it mean full-fledged political union? I see no reason why progress must necessarily be towards very large superstates in the future.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09723826090700679434noreply@blogger.com