David Cameron pulled out all the ceremonial stops for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to London and the way in which she played along is testament to her desire for the UK to remain within the EU. The lengthy passage of her speech dedicated to British sacrifices during both world wars was a polished diplomatic gesture that played well with Britain’s ideas about itself and its own historical role in Europe. It was a gesture that she did not have to make.
However, as she said herself, Merkel’s address could never live up to the hype. This speech was never going to give us all of the answers to the EU’s future, or the viability of David Cameron’s reform and referendum strategy. With over a year to go until the UK general election, three from a possible EU referendum and few specifics to respond to, this should not have been a surprise.
The speech’s rhetoric reflected Germany’s deep historical and cultural attachment to the European project.
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