On Monday, German Finance Minister Schäuble - a life-long pro-European – gave a seminal speech in Oxford about German/UK relations. But he was in another world - literally and metaphorically from Britain. Oxford is more than about 15 minutes from Westminster and the UK media, so there was a startling absence of such people and the only print media coverage was in the Daily Telegraph, with a smattering of on-line comments. At the time of writing, even his own Ministry has not published the speech! So what was the point of it??
Certainly UK MPs who voted last night in the Commons on the EU budget issue were not influenced in the slightest. Even if they knew an olive branch was being held out, they were determined not to take it. Instead, they wanted to drive home the separateness of Britain. On the Tory side, they vented their euroscepticism dramatically – knowing full well that the Labour opposition were just out to damage the Government rather than follow a position of political principle.
That may be the more serious turn of events last night: The Labour Party has shown that its principles last the shortest possible time. Ed Balls may parade his pro-European credentials in private to the assembled Ambassadors of the EU but the public face is now back to the worst aspects of the old 'spin doctor politics'. If Labour were to be in power after 2015, they will be entirely trapped by the accumulated baggage of their tactical victories so that it will be the classic Pyrrhic election triumph. Full speed ahead along the road to Brexit!
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