The delegation of the signing of the new European Constitution in Lisbon to the Foreign Secretary is a curious act. These jamborees are the occasion usually for face to face, one on one, discussions between heads of state and government. Yet Brown pleads a prior and very minor engagement. Clearly this is an excuse not to go.
Cowardice at being seen signing away United Kingdom sovereignty doesn't really cover it; the Leader denies he is doing anything of the kind and must feel intense relief and a glow of political success at delivering the United Kingdom still intact into the maw of the European Union.
Sherpas organize these meetings in advance to the last minute of a country's leader's presence; weeks of negotiation on agendas, consultations and the levels of participants, in matters of concern to particular member-states, take place.
The intervention of the EU Competition Commissioner in the state support being given to Northern Rock must have been pre-eminent on any UK prime minister's agenda, but permission to blunder on until March was flicked uninterestedly to Brown last week. It looks as if no one wants to talk about anything with the UK government.
The Labour regime Leader certainly has nothing to offer the European Union and the Union might think most reasonably that nothing more can be offered to him except his coat.
So the Foreign Secretary will be there, uncomfortably low in diplomatic status and with nothing to say to anyone, while the United Kingdom Prime Minister sits at home alone, picking his nose and biting his nails.
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5 comments:
Is he really not going, HG?!
It really matters no longer L, Brown's monumental irrelevance has bee amply demonstrated. No-one cares if he goes or not, he has no scheduled leader to leader discussions, nothing but petulent local flag-waving to offer, gives no pleasure in his company, and is most offputting in his manner.
As he's up to his neck in party sleaze and fraudulent behaviour by various sections of the Labour party there is no faith that he'll be there long enough to make speaking to him worth drawing breath.
Sadly we really do have a fag end government.
Spot on again HG!
Where's Gordon?...cowardice in operation and a shrinking pillock to boot.
It is extraordinary, S, that while every other European leader is meeting African heads of state and government leaders in Lisbon, our prime minister has flounced off refusing to face Robert Mugabe. The German Chancellor has told Mugabe to his face he is a disgrace to Africa in particular and humanity in general; other leaders have put him, and those who feel obliged to defend him, under enormous pressure to end his murderous behaviour and reign in his vicious regime.
Yet the leader of the erstwhile colonial power, whose colonial practice is used as a justification for Mugabe and his regime's behaviour, whether or not deservedly, is not there to disabuse him and his supporters of their claims to righteous and justifiable actions, action which are in truth killing an entire, once rich and effectively run country.
We are represented by someone from Jamaica, even if she went of her own accord.
What does Brown think he's paid for? Making rude noises and gestures, and running away?
It's bad enough he won't go to sign the Treaty he needs so much, but not to confront Mugabe is absolute cowardice.
Good for you HG I am relying on you to keep me on my toes on this . I have today recieved my copy of ""The Great Deception" , but you would be fascinated by a text book I have aquired called " Understanding the European Union".
Horrifying assumtions lurk therein
Thinking about it I would have said our place was to be semi-detached and were our policy being operated for the good of the coutnry that is what we would be trying to achieve.
In fact there is a quite different set of objectives which is partly sheer corruption and partly ambition for a world role.
In this case I am sure you are right that the idea is for this to pass off as secretly as possible . Brown is so weak now that there are open plots against him and the dishonesty of the Labour Parties positon ( and , in my view , the Liberal Party) is a dangerous fact for him..
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