Washington via Brussels
There is a big, fat hint on today’s FT comment page for Gordon Brown.
Philip Stephens concludes his piece, thus:
“The president might fairly ask Mr Brown what he has to offer. Thus far Britain has seen the special relationship as setting it apart from the rest of Europe. The reverse should be true. Why should the US take the lead in forging a new global compact, Mr Obama could justly say, when a fractured Europe is bending to the siren voices of economic nationalism? If Britain wants to be heard in the White House, surely it must show it has real clout in Europe. Now there is something for Mr Brown to think about during the long flight home”.
Beneath Stephens, Gideon Rachman writes:
“The four freedoms already established by the EU – free movement of goods, people, services and capital – are huge and tangible achievements. It would be terrible to see them rolled back.
“Yet the threat is there. The British prime minister has talked of “British jobs for British workers”, the French president has urged car companies to invest at home rather than elsewhere in the EU, the government of Spain has launched a “Buy Spanish” campaign. State aid rules that prevent the promotion of national industrial champions are being cheerfully trashed. Despite the deliberately reassuring communiqué that closed this weekend’s summit, a genuine assault on the European single market is brewing.
“If Europe starts rolling back the four freedoms, the implications will stretch well beyond economics. Protectionism and nationalism are close cousins. The principles of consultation, co-operation and open borders within the EU have helped to repress the old, nationalist demons”.
Brown may be going to the US to warn against protectionism but his relationship will be all the more special with Obama if he can lead the EU to a future free of protectionism. The four freedoms of the EU salvaged Europe from the wreckage of fascism and communism. They deserve better than to be slain by a mere credit crunch. This should be the high principle of Brown’s engagement with the EU, while the low cunning is the gains that this will bring him with Obama.
Leave your response!