Major's EU speech

Tim Montgomerie, The Times:

Stop treating Britain like the bad boy of Europe because for forty years we've given more to the EU than we've received from it.

And then there's France. It misses its borrowing obligations under the Maastricht treaty but the rules are bent for it. Why aren't rules occasionally bent for us?

And what happened to the single market? Europe signed up to the principles of the Single European Act a full 25 years ago but while Britain is fully open to German cars and manufactured goods, Germany still isn't open to Britain's financial, professional and digital services. Some foundations of the EU – like freedom of movement – are sacrosanct only when it is Britain that is expected to implement them.

These complaints (paraphrased by me) weren't made by Nigel Farage or Bill Cash but by John Major, often seen as David Cameron's special ambassador on big moments and one of the Tories' leading pro-Europeans.

His basic message yesterday was "Wake up Germany!" If you continue to be obstinate towards Britain and refuse to give some ground to Cameron - in his desire for some ability to control immigration - there is a more than 50 per cent chance that your most important ally on economic policy will vote to become an independent nation.

Sir John's intervention almost certainly represents frustration inside Downing Street that the German chancellor does not appreciate how strongly the tide of Euroscepticism is flowing inside Britain.

Full text here. 

Me, the blog:

If the EU doesn't wake up very soon to what John Major and others are saying, the UK will be forced to leave the EU - or at least Dave et al will have little choice but to campaign for Brexit. They are all now pinning their hopes on significant reforms and the repatriation of powers to the UK government from Brussels.

But in the meantime, Brussels is powering on with its 'ever closer union'; young people in southern Europe continue to suffer with more than 50% out of work and with no prospects of finding a career; the Eurozone economy is stagnating (Germany has just announced that it did not go into recession in the last quarter but only grew by 0,1%) and yet we continue to be sneered at by ivory tower Eurocrats whose policies have been the direct cause of what is currently the only failing global trading bloc.

I think we'd be much better off out - more here on our standing in the world outside the EU - and I also think that many places other than the UK would also be much better off if they were able to devalue their currencies and rebalance their economies. One thing is for sure, the EU is destined for failure unless it listens to Pro-EU but 'critical friend' people like John Major. Personally I hope they don't, and I don't think they will, but you have to praise Major for this thoughtful and powerful intervention.

Thanks for reading.