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Written by Austin Mitchell
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21 December 2005 |
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Blair’s Presidency of the EU compares badly with Ethelred The Unready’s. Began with a magnificent speech. No follow through and total loss of interest. Until a last-minute attempt to negotiate the budget which he did by alienating his Eastern European mates with the threat of cuts in their money and ended only by negotiating against himself on the rebate and letting Merkel take all the credit as the honest broker.
None of his proclaimed objectives: retain the inviolate rebate, reform the CAP and cut the budget were achieved. We are to pay out what must be three billion more as the price of failing which Tony now justifies on Boy Scout grounds.
Calculations are confused. My guess is £1 billion from the rebate cut and £2 billion in increased contributions. That means fewer hospitals, schools, houses and roads and less government spending here to help Eastern Europe. Which I don’t think people particularly want to. We’ll derive little benefit from it because their German neighbours will grab the trade.
So when will people ask why we’re paying all this out to belong to a club which doesn’t particularly want us and from which we derive no benefit? |
