Berlin's Treaty

The Treaty for a European Constitution is going through with all the powers and settlements intact, as ratified and deposited with the Italian government by the vast majority of European Union member states; what has been agreed to be toned down is the the achievement's presentation - no bells and whistles. Even that has been resented by those who eagerly and determinedly are building a united Europe.

What to do about the United Kingdom? Usual problems there, usual response - give them an optout; and the New Order will pass it off in the UK as a responsible and effective defence of Britain's sovereignty. Unfortunately this opting out is all to do with the assertion and guarantees of individual liberties, including rights of movement and settlement, practices and modes of criminal prosecution, and constraints on the use of arbitrary state authority.

Perhaps most of us prefer our own way of acting in these matters, which is a good thing because that's all we're going to be allowed.

And the pretence that Blair is doing this alone, without the New Order imprimatur, is simply silly.