debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond
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 [...]
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 [...]
Europe is in recession. Britain’s Office for National Statistics confirmed that in the first quarter of this year Britain’s economy shrank .2 percent, after having contracted .3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011. (Officially, two quarters of shrinkage make a recession). On Monday Spain officially fell into recession, for the second time in three [...]
Every time I think we might be making progress against the prejudices and myths that pass for judicious thinking these days, something like this editorial in the FT comes along to renew my despair. The editorial is a response to the latest bad UK economic news, which it says offers no reason at all to reconsider austerity [...]
From Britain’s Office of National Statistics (pdf): When David Cameron became PM, and announced his austerity plans — buying completely into both the confidence fairy and the invisible bond vigilantes — many were the hosannas, from both sides of the Atlantic. Pundits here urged Obama to “do a Cameron”; Cameron and Osborne were the toast of Very Serious People [...]
Austerity is really working wonders, isn’t it? The widely predicted - at least on SEJ and other progressive outlets – severely negative impact on growth of this nonsensical austerity politics is becoming clearer and clearer. Since today, the UK is officially in a double dip recession. BBC News reports: The UK economy has returned to recession, [...]
Europe’ has been a neuralgic issue in UK politics for four decades, ever since the then Conservative prime minister, Edward Heath, took the state into the then Common Market, alongside the Republic of Ireland and Denmark. While one positive outcome of that coincident accession has been the rapprochement between Britain and Ireland, transcending a century [...]
Ever since they joined the EU in 1973, the British have been sceptical about political integration in Europe. They have valued the economic benefits of membership, notably the single market, but opposed the concept of ‘political union’. The eurozone crisis is now increasing the gap between Britain and much of the rest of the EU. [...]
As both the Euro-area and the United Kingdom face an uncertain economic future, the Conservative led coalition government is displaying symptoms of political schizophrenia over its European strategy. Some leading Conservatives delight in the crisis gripping the Euro-area. But others worry that the Euro’s instability might fatally undermine the faint prospects of British economic recovery. [...]
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