Centaurs Bearing Gifts

[steepholm]

According to the BBC: "The European Commission says that, under EU treaties, member states cannot leave the eurozone without exiting the EU itself."

There have been plenty of people comparing the Greek economy's presence within the Eurozone with that of the Trojan horse, and indeed it's an apt comparison ("Was this the crisis that launched a thousand rescue packages, and crashed the topless towers of Eurodebt?"); but watching the agonized contortions of the Greek political class this morning, I'm reminded of the shirt of Nessus.

Comments

Please, PLEASE.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Tell me that this can be construed to mean that staying out of the EMU / euro area constitutes not being in the fucking EU. PLEASE.

If it were only that simple

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

"It's an ever-closer union!" said the lobster to the pot...

We WERE warned.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Notably on 30 October 1990, by the PM (Mrs T), Dr David Owen, and Tony Benn. I mean, when those three see the same danger....

Re: We WERE warned.

[calimac.livejournal.com]

Wait, David Owen went anti-EU? This foreigner thought he had a basic orientation to British political views, but finds himself confused.

It's all in Hansard.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1990/oct/30/european-council-rome#S6CV0178P0_19901030_HOC_196

Re: We WERE warned.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

True - and that Hansard exchange makes very interesting reading. Of course, the warnings were heeded in the sense that we never did join the euro (and indeed came to regret the ERM). The rival claims of luck and judgement to the credit for that non-decision are not so easy to arbitrate.

True enough.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

And, looking back, not walking away from the whole boiling was a mistake equal to, say, letting Hitler get away with re-militarising the Rhineland in '36.

Re: If it were only that simple

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

LIKE!