debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond
As one who believes that Europe’s nation states need to move closer together and on from their past, if they are to exert influence in the world, the current times are very worrying. The EU is under threat as never before, economically from the crisis and politically as the forces of nationalism grow stronger. Since [...]
The UK has long had a semi-detached approach to much of European Union politics and policies – Europe begins across the channel for most people and politicians. And the British opt-outs from the euro and from the Schengen border-free zone are hardly going to be overturned at these times of euro crisis, of debates and [...]
There has been much criticism in Britain of Germany’s domination of the EU — of the country’s exporting its domestic rules to other member countries, and of its heavy-handed treatment of the UK over the Euro-zone crisis. Berlin is sensitive to such developments. And it gives a large portion of the blame to the UK. [...]
Can we move forward from the Manichean Europhile-Europhobe, Federalist-Sceptic, £/€ divide on the UK’s relationship with the rest of Europe’s nations? The ultra Federal project is dead – though who actually supported it was never clear. Tony Blair’s EU policy was actually much more cautious, prudent, and defensive than many realise. As a PPS and [...]
Veterans of Britain’s turbulent relationship with the European Union could be forgiven for thinking that recent developments in that saga were a case of déjà vu all over again. But it is, potentially at least, a good deal worse than that. Support for British membership has been damaged by the Eurozone crisis; many people are [...]
When Britain joined the European Community in 1973, its then prime minister, Edward Heath, was optimistic about the country’s membership and the prospects for national prosperity derived from rolling back the economic and political frontiers of Britain. Joining the European project was expected to generate a cross-fertilisation of knowledge and information that would enable Britain [...]
OK, so let’s start with the basic economics. Britain is part of Europe. Next time you are driving on a motorway, play a game: read the number plates of the lorries that you pass and count the different nationalities. You’ll need to learn the alphabet code but it’s a quick way to see how inextricably [...]
The success of Britain in toning down the ambitions of the European institutions, shifting the balance away from the supranational executive towards the intergovernmental method, the muzzling of a voice in world affairs that is independent of Washington, the dragooning of Europe to the cause of unfettered globalisation and ‘light touch regulation’, the internal market, [...]
I write as someone who is on the British left – someone who sees the destructive capacity of capitalism before I see its dynamism. Someone who sees the separation of power from politics and politics from power being the over-riding feature of the last 30 years. Someone who believes in the fabulous potential of people [...]
Britain has long been the awkward partner in Europe. In 1951, she refused to join the European Coal and Steel Community, predecessor of the European Community. Ernest Bevin, Foreign Secretary at the time, said of the Coal and Steel Community – ‘If you open that Pandora’s box, you never know what Trojan ‘orses will jump [...]
Britain’s role in the EU under the current Cameron Government is that of a petulant child which is throwing its toys out of the pram, rather than being a constructive partner in managing the challenges we all face. A potential future for Britain in Europe seems more at risk than for a long time – [...]
We are not quite in silly season yet but last week British newspapers reported the ‘barmy’ EU ruling that has prevented an award winning Kent vineyard from calling its Malbec, ‘wine’. Instead it is being forced to re-label the bottles as ‘fruit-based alcoholic beverage’. I have no idea if there is any truth in the [...]
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