What Merkel and Sarkozy have grasped and Cameron has not, is that a United States of Europe will be so much more than the individual countries are on their own.
The European countries are at a crossroad. The sway they held over the world when they were cultured and adventurous and much of the world was savage has long gone. America, with its federation of states, became dominant in the 20th century. China is dominant now. And India, Brazil and the other tigers are coming up fast.
Change is everywhere. The change that ended the USSR; the change in the Arab world; the change in financial certainties.
Do we see all this and re-think our own position? Not if we are David Cameron and the Tory right. They still think we are a world power.
Others are taking a new look. Alex Salmond in Scotland is thinking the unthinkable. Independence for the tartan hordes. As most of the Scottish voters voted for his party, he is likely to win his argument. What then?
He might create an alliance with the Scandanavian countries. But what if he wrote to Brussels and said 'We'd like to be a European country, complete with the euro'?
That might make the anti-Europe English sit up. If the Scots believe there is a benefit in being part of a federation, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It has certainly helped the Irish to get out of the financial hole they dug themselves.
The Tory right and the popular press don't like the idea, but if there was a United States of Europe with a single president, a single currency and financial policy, a single defence/attack policy, would Britain still be great?
Could anyone have forseen that the proud Germans would give up their mark, the French give up their franc? That a graduate in Bordeaux could get a job in Frankfurt or Rome? That a company making widgets in Rotterdam could sell them easily from Poland to Spain?
Would we be as likely to rush off and invade Iraq or Afghanistan if our vainglorious leaders had to get more level-headed leaders in Berlin and Madrid to agree first?
In our isolated island, we concentrate too much on our Parliamentary history, our hatred of bureaucracy, our fear of change.
We should be more positive and see the possibilities of a U.S.E.
Any party which is brave enough at the next election to say it will join Europe and the euro will get my vote.
The European countries are at a crossroad. The sway they held over the world when they were cultured and adventurous and much of the world was savage has long gone. America, with its federation of states, became dominant in the 20th century. China is dominant now. And India, Brazil and the other tigers are coming up fast.
Change is everywhere. The change that ended the USSR; the change in the Arab world; the change in financial certainties.
Do we see all this and re-think our own position? Not if we are David Cameron and the Tory right. They still think we are a world power.
Others are taking a new look. Alex Salmond in Scotland is thinking the unthinkable. Independence for the tartan hordes. As most of the Scottish voters voted for his party, he is likely to win his argument. What then?
He might create an alliance with the Scandanavian countries. But what if he wrote to Brussels and said 'We'd like to be a European country, complete with the euro'?
That might make the anti-Europe English sit up. If the Scots believe there is a benefit in being part of a federation, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. It has certainly helped the Irish to get out of the financial hole they dug themselves.
The Tory right and the popular press don't like the idea, but if there was a United States of Europe with a single president, a single currency and financial policy, a single defence/attack policy, would Britain still be great?
Could anyone have forseen that the proud Germans would give up their mark, the French give up their franc? That a graduate in Bordeaux could get a job in Frankfurt or Rome? That a company making widgets in Rotterdam could sell them easily from Poland to Spain?
Would we be as likely to rush off and invade Iraq or Afghanistan if our vainglorious leaders had to get more level-headed leaders in Berlin and Madrid to agree first?
In our isolated island, we concentrate too much on our Parliamentary history, our hatred of bureaucracy, our fear of change.
We should be more positive and see the possibilities of a U.S.E.
Any party which is brave enough at the next election to say it will join Europe and the euro will get my vote.
