Kicking and screaming

A superb editorial in The Business today argues that the European Union is beyond reform.

This is matched by an article by Nigel Robert Wilson on "how the textiles tariff row has hit my business," pointing out how ignorant are the EU commission bureaucrats on the ways of business. Meanwhile, the op-ed tells of how "EU and Brown red tape could kill off city", something pointed out by this blog a week ago.

The Sunday Telegraph offers a damaging story about how Peter Mandelson, at the height of the textiles crisis, with firms going into bankruptcy, is sunning himself in Italy, enjoying his new-found status as a tranzi VIP.

Daniel Hannan comes out and says we should quit the EU, while Ross Clark writes a stunning piece on the European meltdown.

The Times joins in the chorus of criticism of Mandelson, complete with an editorial, while the Europhile Observer is mute, as is the Sunday Independent, as they always tend to be whenever their beloved EU is under fire.

Taken in the round, anti-EU sentiment is now leading the field, clearly demonstrating that public opinion is swinging against the project.

So where are the Tory politicians, and especially the leadership candidates? All we get is a wet interview from David Cameron who the Sunday Telegraph mysteriously describes as a "Eurosceptic". Mr Cameron thinks that Clarke is evidently hoping that Europe will not be a big issue in the leadership, but begs to differ. "It is an important issue in our time, getting Britain's relationship right with Europe. We have done better by staying out of the euro," he says.

"Getting Britain's relationship right with Europe…". Is that all he has to offer? Time was when politicians led and the voters followed. Now, they have to be dragged kicking and screaming in to following public opinion, and they wonder why we do not vote for them.

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