President Sarkozy in Britain

As an Englishman living in France I must quote at longer length than normal the speech made on the occasion of yesterday's state visit to Britain by the French President. The Times report had this section: The French President made an impassioned plea that Britain and France “write a new page in our common history” as he addressed both Houses of Parliament. Calling for greater cooperation over the issues of energy, immigration, security and defence he called for a new Franco-British “brotherhood” to drive through reform. His most powerful rhetoric was used to express gratitude for Britain’s help for a free France. President Sarkozy insisted France would “never forget” and was not “entitled to forget” the sacrifice the British had made during the Second World War. “On behalf of the people of France, France will never forget,” he said. “France will never forget that when it was virtually wiped out, down on its knees, it was Britain who stood by us. France will never forget the heroic resistance of the British people without which all would have been lost.” While he said that Britain was seen in many countries as a “political and human ideal”, it was with France that it had the “tightest, closest ties”. “The destiny of our countries has been intermingled for some thousand years since William the Conqueror landed from Normandy and wrested the throne of Edward the Confessor, right through to the reverse trend whereby thousands of young British men and women contributed to the liberating of Europe,” he said. The Guardian had better overall coverage in my view, linked here, with this section most worthy of quotation: In Europe, Sarkozy argued, Franco-German friendship remained "indispensable" but it was no longer enough to keep the European Union vigorous For that, he said, "we need this new Franco-British entente". Speeches are all well and good, what develops is normally something different, this blog will comment further as matters proceed. France having recovered its status in the EU due to the political adroitness of President Sarkozy, must now feel free to watch the fate of the Lisbon Treaty with comparative disinterest. The Dutch position becomes of increasing interest as do the clear Constitution conflicts for the Germans. Brown's fate lies in the hands of the House of Lords the sole remaining functioning Chamber of Britain's once proud parliament.