tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post7678124067836032962..comments2024-01-16T08:40:53.682+00:00Comments on <a href="http://www.openeurope.org.uk">Open Europe</a>: Osborne's "reform or bust" remarks only get a page 10 hit in Die Welt OEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00556463374230498875noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-43860185995040144522013-01-14T15:15:11.640+00:002013-01-14T15:15:11.640+00:00It's no surprise that George Osborne's int...It's no surprise that George Osborne's interview only made page 10 of Die Welt. When William Hague made a speech on the EU in Berlin a couple of months ago neither Die Welt nor any other German newspaper reported it at all. The reason is simple. The <br />German media are not that much interested in Britain. Open Europe needs to remember that our relationship with the EU, which to pro-UKIP bloggers and commentators is the stuff of life, is in Germany a sideshow. The German government and the German political class are focussed on the survival of the euro. Whether we choose to stay in the EU or not is, by comparison, a lesser order distraction. If they can find a simple fix to help us remain a member they will. But they're not going to spend months or years negotiating about it. They've got more important things to worry about. crapshooternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-55692415193561272622013-01-14T12:27:40.021+00:002013-01-14T12:27:40.021+00:00I reject entirely that the UK is blackmailing Germ...I reject entirely that the UK is blackmailing Germany or the EU. We pay huge amounts, and incur even greater costs, to belong to this club. And the club is so badly run that it brings us no benefit. So we say: we will leave this club unless the club changes so as to be beneficial to our country and our taxpayers.<br />If the club rules do not change to accommodate us, we should leave forthwith. We should not be blackmailed by others into continuing to prop up this lame duck.Rollohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18255460090580758354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36227136.post-77064848358577830802013-01-11T17:48:33.240+00:002013-01-11T17:48:33.240+00:00The interview at least part thereof was in Handels...The interview at least part thereof was in Handelsblatt as well. In other countries basically only Cameron is known and only from countries like the US (well there is only one) people know Foreign or Finance ministers.<br /><br />On Germany not letting itself be blackmailed, one only has to look at Greece to know that at the end they will. You won't make friends but at the end of the day it is a very credible plan B if necessary.<br />Only brought of course in the nicest possible way.<br /><br />What they are really thinking. Well they probably donot like another European issue and would like if everybody just followed the leader.<br />The full picture with a proper analysis simply looks not yet made.<br />You see nowhere that the largest trading partner of the EU after a Brixit would be the UK. It simply looks like they still donot get the picture straight. As with Greece where it took more than a year before they realised that it would look rather bad for the European project; it was a legal issue as the EZ basically doesnot allow exits; and markets might react. In general the same sort of things as with the UK (only there likely more than with small Greece.<br />Probably good the communicate further on that.<br /><br />Anyway this looked like the most likely way they would start. Before Cameron's speech and with a no way Jose.<br />Pretty stupid to bring the referendum up in the referendum=populism way Will hardly make a positive impression on the average UK voter except that the club stinks.<br /><br />I would say that the best way from their side to deal with it is getting the thing done asap and keep an as low as possible profile. If they will do that as we see with say Cyprus they first put it on the frontpage and later realise that less media attention might have been better. The whole rescue hangs now on the believe of markets that the ECB as basically as strong a CB as the FED. It isnot by far and a big country leaving the EU will put the spotlight on that with very likely negative consequences (imho likley considerably worse than Greece. The UK issue will bring the credibility of the whole rescue in doubt (with major countries walking away), Greece leaving is more a dysfunctional country/basketcase leaving and not a nett contributor. Riknoreply@blogger.com