Britain finally confronts the EU - but only on school leaver targets!

EurActiv reports that "the United Kingdom, ... is behaving like the difficult child at the back of the class by refusing to cooperate with the commissioner."

The commissioner concerned  is Androulla Vassiliou, the EU commissioner for education, culture, multilingualism and youth. The article continued "Vassiliou said the UK is claiming that it is under no obligation to come up with national targets, despite the fact that it voted in favour of the EU-wide goals when they were agreed by the European Council in the summer of last year."

Britain's Education Secretary is Michael Gove, close confidant of the devious and dishonourable temporary occupant of 10 Downing Street, David Cameron, (even his Deputy PM, Nick Clegg, is recently quoted on Samizdata as saying I need to say this – you shouldn't trust any government, actually including this one) whom, in denying the nation a referendum on Lisbon, having gained his Party's leadership on promises of defying the EU, has in fact more fully committed the nation to deeper EU control in less than a year than many of his predecessors achieved in the full terms of their office.

Now we see the nature of this Coalition Government's defiance of the EU. They will steadfastly, though probably only temporarily, refuse to supply school leavers targets which they are already committed to preparing.

The Bullingdon background, in this matter perhaps, comes into play, the EU Commissioner here involved is from Cyprus, one of the smallest and least significant of EU member countries - is it not telling that when dealing with the EU's largest member state, Cameron is to be seen meekly snivelling in Berlin, Munich or elsewhere he may be summoned, with never the slightest hint that Britain may have a view deviating in any degree from that of Germany and France!

Bullying, I think is the aptest term for such behaviour, nasty in the playground, dangerous in international diplomacy.