Brother Korski is, as always, the voice of urbane reason on all matters european. I have little idea whther David Cameron done brilliant in Brussels lately or whether he’s blundered badly. Neither verdict seems satisfactory or sufficiently nuanced. There is this, however: in one respect he has done the rest of europe a favour: had he agreed to a new treaty he would have been forced to hold a referendum in Britain and it is hard to see how any treaty, be it ever so favourable to Britain, could have passed. Cue more diplomatic shenanigans and assorted other awkwardness in Brussels.
By standing aside Cameron may have “isolated” Britain but he’s made life much easier – though it’s stll far from simple – for every other leader in europe. So there you have it, if the thing (whatever it is) works then the rest of the continent might one day thank the British Prime Minister.
Of course, since these new arrangements seem likely to apply to non-eurozone countries as well as euromembers and since budgetary restrictions are likely to be just the beginning before talk moves on to tax harmonisation and other matters, it’s hard to see how Cameron could have signed anything.
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