Britain, New Europe or Old

As a staunch Atlanticist nation and one that has pioneered free market reforms in the EU, Great Britain is often seen as part of the New Europe, shoulder to shoulder with the young upstarts of Eastern Europe. But how realistic is this viewpoint, given the gap between word and deed.

New Europe used to regard the British as its ally against Franco-German hegemony. But in Brussels last week Tony Blair was his usual duplicitous self. He conceded that the directive should be redrafted to take account of the "European social model". Back in London, he denied anything had been given away, even suggesting that the phrase "European social model" had no meaning.

In a battle where Britain had everything to gain if it fought alongside the New Members, The Liar chose instead to back Kickback Chirac. Britain failed to support those countries most likely to offer the best long term payback. Instead he is allying the UK with Europe’s failed past, not its bright future. For his part, Kickback Chirac sees the new members as a problem.

These upstarts need to be put in their place, and Mr Chirac is the man to do it: with typical hauteur, he has forced Brussels in effect to ditch its services directive, which would create a market in services across the EU and let in the barbarians (and the British, who are rather good at services). He was able to get away with this because Britain's Prime Minister tragically, but not atypically, caved in.

The Prime Minister is ably abetted in his task of anchoring Britain to Old Europe by his side kick and rival, Scottish Raj.

Gordon Brown has spent the past four years tiptoeing towards Europe's failed social model by lifting British government spending as a share of GDP towards that of the euro zone. Furthermore, he already pays 2.7 million people to be long-term sick.

Its almost as if Our Dear Leader is trying to worm his way back into the A List after the unpleasantness over Iraq. This involves kow-towing to a failed political and economic system that could be the ruin of as all. In doing so, he is threatening the future of not just the country for which he is responsible, but all of the countries of The European Union.