When you are in charge, and not subject to voters’ wrath, you can do much as you please. A senior appointment and comments from the President of the European Commission reveal the underlying attitude. On February 21 Jean-Claude Juncker called a short-notice press conference to announce that the European Commission had appointed Martin Selmayr, previously … More Revealing Appointment
Polls suggest that potential Leave and Remain votes haven’t changed much since the Referendum though some have swapped sides, either frightened or disgusted by what has since happened. The EU is proving a tough negotiator in the Brexit talks, even an inflexible one. This promises to do us harm when we leave yet many still … More On the Other Hand
Financially Speaking M. Barnier: “There is no place [for financial services]. … There is not a single trade agreement that is open to financial services. It doesn’t exist.” May: “The EU has included financial services, to varying degrees, in quite a number of the trade agreements that they have already established with other countries.” The … More Shorties-15
Supporters assume that weaknesses in the EU can be dealt with by reform. We examine this assumption and conclude that the hidden agenda underpinning the EU’s federalist ambitions precludes meaningful reform. “I have never understood why public opinion about European ideas should be taken into account.” Attributed to Raymond Barre, former French premier and European … More Can EU be Reformed?
We love economics. There are two reasons we keep banging on about it in this blog: first, because it’s the main topic in the Brexit debates, if not necessarily the only key issue; second, it’s very rational and we love a structured argument. But the ‘dismal science’, as economists themselves love to call it, is … More A Dismal Ramble
Remainers and Leavers still argue about the benefits of Brexit and the EU, arguments that have divided friends and families. Here we imagine a family argument. Stacey and Levi aren’t the most compatible of partners, they always seem to see things from different angles and never stop bickering, rather like the couple in “Who’s Afraid … More European Values
How are Italian political parties proposing to restore their voters wealth prospects? “I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of one pound,” signed Montagu Norman. Those old enough will remember the pound note that stored a bit of your wealth, backed with a promise from the Governor of the Bank of England … More Italian Election
Punishment or Pragmatism? If Poland left the EU it would be absolutely vital for it to maintain its existing trade relations. The UK is not in the same negotiating position, not only because of the large quantities of German cars and French wine it imports but because its global reach and reputation is far greater … More Shorties-13
English laws and courts are used the world over when parties want impartiality, efficiency and knowledgeable judges. The supremacy of EU law does nothing to enhance this. Like most Leavers we want to ‘take back control’ of our money and borders but we also want to live under our own laws. While Britain remains in … More The World’s Favourite Law
It seems the UK Government has been doing a little thinking about Brexit after all. Apparently it wants to persuade the EU to consider three ‘baskets’ of goods and services in any deal. The first basket would consist of sectors where the UK stays close to the EU; it would include chemicals and medicines regulations … More Basket Cases
This EU Won't Work 