December 2005 the seeds of the present EU Budget Bust-up

Germany and France stitched up the last EU seven year budget ahead of a full meeting in December 2005. Records are all over the internet and reactions can be read in many languages. It was a disgusting sell-out particularly by Britain's Tony Blair, the archives of this blog for that month may be read here.

I tweeted some excerpts from one post regarding the election of the shameless and stupid David Cameron to lead the Conservative Party, as he now seems to have been found out by the Tories who delivered such a snub to his party in Thursday's elections. I repeat it in full here, as it so well describes the moment of lost opportunity and reminds us where the blame lies.

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Emerging from the fog

Any mariner knows the enlightening, energising and liberating sensation of relief engendered by the sudden emergence from a thick fog bank to good visibility provided by startlingly bright sunshine - particularly when reflected from previously threatening but unseen cliffs. Britain's post general election politics have been shrouded by the uncertainties of the long-winded Conservative Party leadership election, the non-event of the British EU Presidency and the doubts over Blair's security of tenure in Downing Street. The fog is lifting and the cold December sunshine will now shortly enlighten us all - on the EU Budget, the next Tory leader, the WTO and the Labour Party accession - fascinating times. A link to an IHT article that provides a good curtain raiser to the political roller coaster on which we seem likely to soon embark is available by clicking here. What a seismic change will be needed in British politics if the policy (and aparently principle) challenged David Cameron is elected leader of the main opposition party! How long then could the admittedly ill-informed and politically naive British electorate fail to notice that their two party politics had thrown up two empty shells to lead them? That real power had drifted elsewhere and to finish on the same sea-faring analogy: as the fog cleared, such that the dangers ahead could be seen by all - would they then find that there was nobody competent left on the bridge nor even at the helm to steer them clear? David Cameron leading the Tories.................. on what credentials? Only the votes of Tory Party members - then what worth they!

How long, I then asked, before British voters realised the fatal character flaws of the leaders of the two main parties? Less than seven years, seems is the answer provided by this Thursday's elections. It has been a wearisome wait and I am still not entirely convinced the lesson has yet fully sunk in!