This EU Won't Work

There is no question about it, Boris Johnson’s insouciant disregard for the rules others must follow, rules he has imposed on them, stinks. However, what matters most about national leaders’ actions is where they are leading their countries. It is probable that sitting outside for a while with colleagues that you normally work with indoors, … More Insouciant Leadership

Perhaps to most animals things are simply as they find them, but for most humans there’s a theory for everything that exists and even for what ought to exist. If we believe a world under one government would be good for mankind we can devise a theory of how to achieve it, perhaps region by … More The World in Union

The stunning defeat of the Conservatives in the latest by-election suggests Boris Johnson’s term as Prime Minister might not be a long one. He is sure to be remembered for ending the paralysis in Parliament over Brexit but it may be too late for him to gain credit for a successful UK, free of constraints … More Get Brexit Done Properly

A new government for Germany is about to take over, comprising parties from across the political spectrum. They are agreed on one thing, it is time for the European Union to become the long-envisioned federation of Continental nations. How likely is that to happen, now or ever? Could a United States of Europe be a … More A Federal Europe

The European Union claims that it is a democracy. Many supporters accept this claim, perhaps without giving it much thought. This post illustrates the matter and refers back to some of our own thoughts on the subject EUObserver – a reliable supporter of the EU – has an article [1], titled Time for EU to … More Observing Democracy

Does Biden’s debacle in Afghanistan mean that a European defence coalition is, after all, sensible? Clearly the US, under this president and the last, cannot be relied upon to defend mutual- (as opposed to self-) interests. Should the UK help build such an alliance in conjunction with a proposed EU defence force? In the House … More A European Defence Alliance?

The EU’s Godfather, Jean Monnet, said “Europe will be forged in crisis”. A combination of the eurozone and covid crises will challenge that thesis. A Reformation We have argued that the EU must change but probably not as the theorists or high priests hope and intend. There are many challenges to tackle and these have … More More Or Less ‘Europe’?

There are fundamental design flaws in the European Union project, many of which are invisible to most of us and few of which will ever be addressed by EU leaders and supporters. Our blog has raised and walked around many of these issues, mostly by showing how they result in faulty performance, and dishonest propaganda. … More Where There is Darkness

The Swiss have had enough and pulled the plug on almost eight years of negotiations with the EU, aimed at simplifying over a hundred bilateral agreements and combining them into a single framework. The EU insisted on regulatory alignment and the supremacy of CJEU judgements. It has overplayed its hand – again. A benign organisation … More Swiss Cheesed Off

Implementation of the Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol—which is part of the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the EU—has resulted in shortages in the province and consequent protests that risk renewing the civil war. Our title derives from a different context where the evil was intentional and its magnitude not comparable with the ‘Troubles’ in Ireland. A … More The Banality of Evil, in Ireland