Special relationship? Pah There is no special relationship
In meBook, sadly as yet unpublished, I explain in some detail that the USA has never really been a friend to Britain and has in fact treated us as an easily exploitable business asset, occasional cannon fodder and for the rest of the time just screwed us in every business / economic deal we have ever made with it.
The fabled “special relationship” lives only in the minds of politicians and some journalists.
So when, yesterday, Philip Gordon, the US assistant secretary for European affairs in the US State Department said some interesting things, about Britain’s relationship with the EU, pathetically mis-interpreted by Nick Clegg, RuskinBlog had to leap in to clarify. The details of Clegg’s comments you can see on TV and read in the papers, so, what Gordon actually meant is my theme today.
Here is my take which, I believe, reflects a reality far away from politicking poppycock of Clegg’s mindless support of the risible EU.
USA’s Gordon said: that when discussing the often “inward-looking” history of EU negotiations, “referendums have often turned countries inward”.
Modern politics serves itself and the business interests which fund it
Reality: “Modern politics serves itself and the business interests which fund it. Politicians are not actually interested in what the ‘people’ want which is exemplified by “Small is Beautiful”(*) the very opposite of the globalism being peddled by the USA politicians who are fed by … big business. WE the people want ‘The corner shop’, the ‘small manufacturing business’ etc.
Gordon said: “The more the EU reflects on its internal debate, the less it is able to be unified”
Reality: “The more you look at the EU the more you realise that the EU and invention of the Euro is one of the most stupid attempts to herd cats that mankind has ever invented”
The USA, Clegg and most politicians are missing the most important points:-
- The EU is completely unwanted by the people – the NO votes in Holland & Ireland ignored
- The EU is so completely inept it makes my teeth hurt
- The EU is a farcical gravy train – 3600 faceless bureaucrats earning more than the British PM
- The EU makes ridiculous compromises everywhere you look.
- 70 trucks to move the EU admin from Brussels to Strasbourg twice a month for the last 30 years!
- The EU has accounts that have not passed legal scruitiny for 19 years
- The EU is run by a former Portuguese PM – need I say more?
Gordon said: “the UK would always be a key ally of the US” and that “what is in the UK’s interests is up to the UK”.
Reality: “We can always use Britain anyway we want, because British politicians have a misplaced sense of fair play which they laughably assume is shared”. (vis: WW2 loan negotiations with the USA where we have up our best scientific patents to the USA in return for their help in defeating Hitler. We ended up with a loan which we could not afford to pay back until 2003!)
The USA can’t be so stupid (perhaps it can? 😉 ) to think that the EU is a sensible construct, so, I think they mean that since Britain speaks American English they are are concerned about the strong anti EU sentiments expressed by UKIP and currently gaining favour in the Tory party. They wish to pre-empt the contents of Dave’s upcoming speech on Europe.
The USA is really trying to keep politics and markets (and therefore US Globalist businesses) “BIG”; that’s what they are scared of if Cameron asks ‘we the people’ what we want in a referendum. We the people want “small” not BIG!
*Small is Beautiful 1974 book written by Dr Eric Schumacher, warning of the then impending dangers of globalism and the poverty it brings to the majority. It’s too late now …
