THE EU
The EU continues to stagger from crisis to crisis as the chickens keep coming home to roost. Now professor Ronald McKinnon has shocked a European Central Bank conference in Frankfurt when he said: ‘There is some credence to the view that maybe Italy should be split off and have its own currency, even if we know it would all go wrong’.
Professor McKinnon has previously been described as the ‘godfather’ of the euro.
The comments came as supporters of the return of the Italian lira continued to demand for a vote to abandon the euro. Roberto Calderoli, a minister, has described the euro as the ‘plaything of madmen’ and that: ‘The moment has come for us to flee before the whole edifice comes crashing down’, and predicted that: ‘The euro will soon be waste paper’.
Meanwhile, the EU development commissioner, Louis Michel (a former Belgian foreign minister), threatened on RTBF radio that: ‘The British Prime Minister has the upper hand, but to run a good presidency, it’s necessary that everyone else helps...We’ll help him, but on the condition that it’s all heading in the direction of more Europe’, and that if the British presidency was to be only about ‘constructing, or cementing a Europe that is just a free market, then it is going to be difficult for him’.
Mr Michel dismissed Mr Blair’s concept of the EU as being ‘manifestly that of an economic free trade zone, where, rather stupidly, countries still give in to internal competition’.
Meanwhile, the German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, in a major speech, made the following point: ‘The core question is: which Europe do we want? Do we want a united Europe capable of acting, a real political union...or do we want to limit ourselves to being a large free-trade zone?’ His own view was that: ‘I’m convinced...we need a political union. Only a political union is able to practice solidarity’.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg has announced that it will proceed with its referendum on the EU constitution.
In the face of all this, Tony Blair is still dangling the £3billion British rebate as something he might consider negotiating about provided that there are reforms to the EU budget.
The fact is that back in 1975 the British people voted to join a common market. That is what they were told it was. Now it has evolved into something the people did not vote for and do not want. Instead of trying to negotiate the terms of a political union, the government should be prepared to disengage the UK from that political union and revert our relationship with the EU to one of free trade only. What those who decide to stay in the political union do afterwards is their own business.
Alternatively, the British people should be allowed a referendum on the future relationship of the UK with the EU.
Professor McKinnon has previously been described as the ‘godfather’ of the euro.
The comments came as supporters of the return of the Italian lira continued to demand for a vote to abandon the euro. Roberto Calderoli, a minister, has described the euro as the ‘plaything of madmen’ and that: ‘The moment has come for us to flee before the whole edifice comes crashing down’, and predicted that: ‘The euro will soon be waste paper’.
Meanwhile, the EU development commissioner, Louis Michel (a former Belgian foreign minister), threatened on RTBF radio that: ‘The British Prime Minister has the upper hand, but to run a good presidency, it’s necessary that everyone else helps...We’ll help him, but on the condition that it’s all heading in the direction of more Europe’, and that if the British presidency was to be only about ‘constructing, or cementing a Europe that is just a free market, then it is going to be difficult for him’.
Mr Michel dismissed Mr Blair’s concept of the EU as being ‘manifestly that of an economic free trade zone, where, rather stupidly, countries still give in to internal competition’.
Meanwhile, the German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, in a major speech, made the following point: ‘The core question is: which Europe do we want? Do we want a united Europe capable of acting, a real political union...or do we want to limit ourselves to being a large free-trade zone?’ His own view was that: ‘I’m convinced...we need a political union. Only a political union is able to practice solidarity’.
Meanwhile, Luxembourg has announced that it will proceed with its referendum on the EU constitution.
In the face of all this, Tony Blair is still dangling the £3billion British rebate as something he might consider negotiating about provided that there are reforms to the EU budget.
The fact is that back in 1975 the British people voted to join a common market. That is what they were told it was. Now it has evolved into something the people did not vote for and do not want. Instead of trying to negotiate the terms of a political union, the government should be prepared to disengage the UK from that political union and revert our relationship with the EU to one of free trade only. What those who decide to stay in the political union do afterwards is their own business.
Alternatively, the British people should be allowed a referendum on the future relationship of the UK with the EU.
posted by erc @ 10:42 pm
<< Home