Many eurosceptics profess to be libertarians. To me this makes no sense at all. Continue reading
January 17, 2010
by Nosemonkey
47 Comments
Category Archives: Europe
January 2, 2010
by Nosemonkey
16 Comments
Looking back (and forward)
A new year, and we should be looking to the future. I’ve also (appropriately) been looking to the past, though, and pondering how little has changed. Five years ago: Complaining about the nature of the EU debate and lengthy attempts … Continue reading
December 23, 2009
by Nosemonkey
34 Comments
Why regulating and legislating at an EU level is almost always a good thing
Just to be provocative, like (I obviously don’t entirely believe this headline – I’m a big fan of the subsidiarity principle, after all, and am an advocate of greater localism in politics – but still)… This taken from a reply … Continue reading
December 16, 2009
by Nosemonkey
20 Comments
The US State Department on the Lisbon Treaty
We’ve seen all the intra-European arguments about Lisbon (now in force for a full fortnight) – what we really need is some expert extra-European opinion. So ta very much to Philip H Gordon, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian … Continue reading
November 5, 2009
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Nine years ago…
Apropos of not a lot, now that the Treaty of Lisbon’s all over, what was being said when the similarly disputed and unsatisfactory Treaty of Nice was finally passed back in 2001? From The Economist, Vol. 360, Issue 8232 (28th … Continue reading
November 4, 2009
by Nosemonkey
54 Comments
“No one under the age of 52 has had the chance to vote on the EU”
So runs the argument of increasingly prominent anti-EU Tory, Daniel Hannan MEP – still advocating a UK referendum despite the final ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. This is, of course, very true. Since the 1975 referendum on EEC membership, the … Continue reading
November 3, 2009
by Nosemonkey
8 Comments
Liveblogging the Lisbon apocalypse
With Vaclav Klaus’ low-key signature this afternoon, the Lisbon Treaty – which its critics have long accused of being capable of altering the very fabric of European life – has been ratified. I was in London, reporting the reactions live … Continue reading
November 2, 2009
by Nosemonkey
5 Comments
Guest Post: Chris Patten for ‘EU Foreign Minister’?
A guest post from that rare beast, an openly pro-EU Tory – in this case Thomas Byrne of the blog Byrne Tofferings, who is keen to sound out the thoughts of a more international audience to his suggestion for the … Continue reading
October 30, 2009
by Nosemonkey
11 Comments
The European Council, the Council of the European Union, the Council of Ministers and the Council of Europe: A guide
Yes, I KNOW it’s confusing… Continue reading
October 27, 2009
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
First Europe, then… the world?
A few vague thoughts towards predicting a new global geopolitics Continue reading
October 25, 2009
by Nosemonkey
19 Comments
On “the President of Europe”
The proposed President of the European Council is very far from being “President of Europe” – either in terms of profile or power. Whoever lands the job (and it’s highly unlikely to be Tony Blair) will have practically zero influence … Continue reading
October 4, 2009
by Nosemonkey
114 Comments
Why it’s hard to take eurosceptics seriously
How eurosceptics are damaging their cause, and what they can do to win more converts Continue reading
October 3, 2009
by Nosemonkey
23 Comments
Ireland’s “undemocratic” second Lisbon Treaty referendum
In last year’s Irish Lisbon Treaty referendum, turnout was 53.1%, with 53.4% voting No and 46.6% voting yes. That’s 862,415 No voters – 28.3% of the Irish electorate, and just 0.17% of the EU’s population – holding up the ratification … Continue reading
September 11, 2009
by Nosemonkey
25 Comments
A cost-benefit analysis of the EU and the Lisbon Treaty?
A comment I left over at The Devil’s Kitchen a couple of months back that I recently stumbled upon bears resuscitating as a quick post in its own right, as debates about the EU resurface ahead of the re-run Irish … Continue reading