When the books are written about the past few
weeks discussions at European level concerning the appointment of a
new Commission President the massive incompetence of David Cameron
will figure large. How is it that in the quest for reform he decided
to fight on the grounds he did – opposing Juncker as the candidate
of the largest Party in the European Parliament following the
continent wide elections in May and objecting to the process saying
it was undemocratic (this from a leader who only won a seat in a
parliamentary constituency and was elected leader of what became the
largest Party in 2010). Whether Juncker is an irretrievable
federalist is relevant but not significant. He will be subject to
enormous pressure from national Heads of government and (strangely
another Cameron criticism) is known as a deal maker! Clearly the
traumas of John Major's premiership and the question of Europe weigh
heavily on his mind. However if it is not clear to David Cameron (it
is, of course, but being deliberately obtuse is part of the
politicians' toolkit, at least in the UK) that many of the so-called
sceptics in his Party really want nothing less than exit from the
European Union. Now I am of an age to remember and to have voted in
the referendum of 1975 and being interested in politics. I also
remember that it was portrayed as Free Trade and Economic Union.
Those of us with an ounce of common knew that if successful such a
union would have to develop politically and that a major driver was
the politics of it all! Put simply it would be very difficult for
constituent parts of a supra-national organisation to go to war with
each other particularly if their trading and economies were so
intertwined. We should not forget that in the 20th century
around 60 million people were killed as a result of wars originating
in Europe.
Turning to David Cameron's strategy and tactics.
It is evident that he needs an urgent refresher on Dale Carnegie's
“How to win friends and influence people”. If he has not read it
then perhaps he should ask for a rebate on his very expensive
education fees! He needs to understand that people do not react very
well to being shouted at and/or threatened especially as they would
claim just as much a democratic mandate as him and that they are
looking after their own country's interests. Nor is it good tactics
to say if I do not get my way then I am not going to stay in this
club. (All too often we witness this “hissy fit” behaviour from
him). Then the arrogant assertion that you will regret this not
having done as I asked. Talking quietly, making the case methodically
and carefully having prepared the ground by developing good working
relationships brings results. David Cameron clearly has spent far to
much time in PR and is now almost detached from reality.
Now I am pro-Europe but nor “starry eyed”.
Reform is necessary but not necessarily in the way David Cameron
wishes. His policy is a mish mash of glib right wing pie in the sky
utterances. It is simply not desirable nor deliverable to have a free
market in goods and services but not have free movement of labour.
That is, not possible and remain an open economy! If we were really
intent on reform we should start with insisting that the accounts be
approved with only minor (in the generally accepted commercial sense
of minor) auditors qualifications. If that is not possible then
the Commission's budget would be progressively cut (say by 5% a year)
until auditors can approve the accounts.
I remain sceptical about political integration but
it is on the agenda and would have been easier to deal with if a
previous Conservative government had not been so keen to expand
eastwards, tellingly not for mainly trade or economic reasons but for
political objectives! (neo-con/liberal stuff and the end of the
USSR). As with many things we have a certain Mrs Thatcher to thank
for that but that is another story.
