Tony Blair: “Ich bin leidenschaftlicher Europ�er” Pffft… German always sounds rude. Tony’s a leidenschaftlicher… heh! And it remains nearly as amusing when you find out that translates as “passionate” (according to Babelfish, at any rate – my German’s terrible…) If … Continue reading →

German Chancellor Gerhard Schr�der’s on a bit of a rant: “There is a special European social model to protect that has developed on the continent… Those who want to destroy this model due to national egotism or populist motives do … Continue reading →

EU Rota – EU Agriculture: Modern and Dynamic – Blair’s figures over the CAP have been challenged, now so have Chirac’s assertions (with the aid of graphs and everything).

International Herald Tribune – The wages of fundamentalism – Western Europe has overtaken the US in scientific research and how this shows Turkey shouldn’t join the EU. Erm… Okaaaay…

The BBC – European press review. Some interesting stuff today, including: “Austria’s Die Presse accuses British Prime Minister Tony Blair of misleading the public in his attack on EU agricultural spending… “According to the paper, if all public expenditure in … Continue reading →

The BBC – Blair says EU rebate ‘has to go’: Mr Blair said: “We have made it clear all the way through that we are prepared not just to discuss and negotiate upon, but to recognise that the rebate is … Continue reading →

Third Avenue has a post at the Sharpener on defining anti-Americanism. Interesting stuff, with some points well-made. TA’s main contention is that “anti-Americanism” is actually “anti-Bushism”, but that many of Bush’s critics have a tendency to refer to “America” rather … Continue reading →

European Democracy – Idea crisis or leadership crisis?: “the French and Dutch votes were directed against this EU, not against the EU”

Le Figaro – La diplomatie europ�enne sous tutelle anglo-saxonne: (approx. translated highlights) “the limit of Europe’s credibility in the world has been reached… the sordid battle on the budget between Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair… tarnishes the image of the … Continue reading →

The Times – Blair plans to scupper Chirac: “Under the British plan the Government would agree to scale back its �3 billion-a-year rebate in return for a fundamental review of EU spending in 2008, leading two years later to substantial … Continue reading →

EU Trade Commissioner and former dodgy UK minister Peter Mandelson has a comment piece in today’s Guardian following the budget summit last week. Sensible point: “This spells more than an unseemly squabble over money. It goes to the heart of … Continue reading →

Yet more “institutionalised leftism” at the BBC – it looks like they’ve appointed a former chairman of the Young Conservatives as their new Political Editor. Filthy pinko liberals…

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Legal Advice – yet more interesting stuff there which would suggest at best dodginess. But no one cares any more. Except the Iraqis, I imagine, and probably the soldiers out there fighting. They probably care quite … Continue reading →

(But it’s too pissing hot.)