State of the European Union

From our U.K. Correspondent, Vaughan Nash:

So here we sit, on the outside of Europe looking in. Mr. Blair has signed us up for the new EU constitution, along with the other twenty four nations in our ever expanding family.

So what does it all mean?

The French idea is to create a European superstate which would have a far bigger combined population than the U.S. and the worlds' largest economy. Naturally, as instigators of the plan, the French would wield significant influence! Germany and Belgium are also keen on the idea.

Other countries, notably the U.K., the Netherlands and newer members like Poland want the EU to continue as it began - principally as a completely open trading environment with freedom of movement and labour. Spain, Italy and the other countries line up in a spectrum between the two.

Greece does not want Turkey in, even though Turkey wants to join. Turkey is barely part of Europe. Greeks and Turks hate one another, and have done for ever. So the Greeks veto Turkey. The French back the Greeks. The Germans and the Brits want Turkey in. The Swiss and Norwegians don't want to join. Nobody wants Serbia to join. Russia might join in the future, at which point Serbia will have at least one friend.

Some countries don't want Russia in. Some countries want Russia in. The Poles and the Brits and the Italians have troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. So does the Ukraine. They are not in the EU. Spain has withdrawn. France and Germany oppose any troops in Iraq.

So just how, for example, is a European army supposed to work? We are more likely to be able to build a house with jelly ( that's jello to you! ) than agree what to do in a crisis.

The only saving grace is that the electorate in each country has to ratify the treaty. Mr.Blair ( must stop mentioning him, down to my last sickbag) has
promised us our Referendum in 2006! Why wait? There is a General Election here in between. Which he would lose if he lost the referendum. And he WILL lose the referendum.

The plain fact is, as we sit in our jeans chomping a BigMac and drinking a Coke ( or diet coke in my case, got all the weight off and don't want to be a fat batch again! ) we just don't quite feel ready to be part of a European superstate. Not even when our guard is down on vacation in Florida.

Europe needs the U.K. for many reasons: Our oil. Our armed forces. London is the worlds' second largest financial centre. Our fishing grounds. Our influence in the Middle East. Our influence in the Commonwealth countries. Our influence in the U.S. Our currency, which would strengthen the Euro. Our tax revenues. Our booming economy, which employs ever more Europeans and is the most successful in the EU. Our major airports and shipping links. I could go on.

The obvious question is what happens next, when some countries vote against further integration? Answers on a postcard please to :

Msr. Chirac
President of the United States of Europe
Some Palace, Paris, EU1