The patchwork quilt known as the European Union, which was forcibly flung around our shoulders to protect us from the chill wind as our Sovereignty was stolen, is coming apart at the seams.

The ‘fat quarters’, as patchwork squares are known, are well named.  Indeed, some quarters were exceedingly fat; we were so busy admiring our new EU financed roundabouts and flyovers in the middle of ‘nowhere’, we failed to realise that the outer reaches of EUland were getting more than their fair share of the bounteous pot.

We wailed as our British passports were reissued as ‘European Passports’ – we were citizens of Europe now whether we liked it or not. The British did more than their fair share of grumbling – but look at the benefits we were told!

There are no more ‘foreign countries’ in Europe, we are all one family now they said.  Germany is restrained, its historic bellicosity curbed for ever by the marriage of the warring partners. Rejoice!

One family, my foot. Nothing has pissed me off more this week than learning that the architects of this monstrous union didn’t believe a word of it themselves.

Do you know who has failed to ‘become European’? 38,000 European Union officials that is who.

The very people who have been heaping this indignity on our heads demand, nay insist, on their right to receive an extra 16% on top of their wages on the grounds that they are being required to ‘work in a foreign country’.

70% of EU staff, exercising their right to roam freely in Europe, in order to take up a job where they lecture us on the joys of European Citizenship, then pay themselves an extra £200 million to compensate themselves for being forced to work under what is left of the paltry sovereignty of a ‘foreign power’. Each and every non-Belgian working in Brussels claims this allowance throughout their working life.

Remember that this week as we wait to see whether Germany will find a way round its constitution and pay for the debts of all the southern European countries. As we are told that war will break out without the protection of the EU. As we are told that the world banking system will grind to a halt if Britain doesn’t support the French banks as they support the Greek banks as they support the Irish banks and everybody waits to see who will be left holding the debt when the music stops.

Remember that the people issuing those press releases, those doom laden notes, those dire predictions that the world will end if we don’t become good Europeans -they don’t believe a single word of it themselves. Never have done. They cling to their nationality and demand compensation for paying lip service to being European. I’ll wager most of them keep their ill-gotten gains well out of the Euro banking system too.

I know I do, always have done. I have been stared at in amazement by French Tax Officials every year as I have declared my off shore – nay, off European shore – bank account. In French eyes, nobody has an off-shore account unless it is to avoid tax. They can’t believe I am declaring it to them, and paying tax on it twice to boot – frankly the amount of interest on offer doesn’t make that an exceptionally onerous admission.

Year after year I have been asked ‘why’? Because I don’t trust what is happening in Europe I reply. They shake their heads sadly – ‘a non-believer, probably paranoid’, it’s written all over their faces.

We’ll see who is laughing when the music stops this week.

No, I shan’t be leaving France either. I have more faith in the French ability to look after No 1 than I do the British version. Somehow I suspect that the British will still be grumbling, still talking of reform, still trying to shore up the planks of this rotten edifice and convincing themselves that they are a world player.  Still dutifully obeying every last communiqué from the EU. Give me French contumacy any day.

EU aficionados – not just fork tongued snakes, two headed fork tongued snakes.

Wigner’s Friend
September 19, 2011 at 14:41

In addition to the idiocy of eurocrats being paid an extra 16% for working
in a foreign country, the wife of a colleague of mine worked in a “European”
Bank in London and, despite being English through and through, was entitled to
a tax free salary! Go figure. I wonder if the guy who lost £1.3Bn in
unauthorised trades paid UK tax?

Elena ‘andcart
September 19, 2011 at 09:07

I don’t get this. This debacle is having absolutely no effect on the
exchange rate between Britain and The EU. Would you not think that Sterling
would be riding high at a time like this?
It looks as though nobody of
discernment wants either.
Oh well, I shall just have to keep on doing the
day job. I have long suspected that I would die with my Wellington Boots
on.

John Pickworth
September 19, 2011 at 13:48

This debacle is having absolutely no effect on the exchange rate
between Britain and The EU

That would be because they’ve set interest rates too low in the race to
the bottom with our Euro partners. Designed primarily to encourage people to
spend rather than save, boost exports and allow people to live in mortgaged
homes they can’t nominally afford.

But it comes at a cost… we’re ALL paying for this nonsense through
inflated food and fuel bills. Its also hitting those who live on savings
income and doubly so those who have retired abroad.

Jiks September 18, 2011 at 20:15

Rex, an orderly, full break up of the euro as you outline could result in
partial defaults by the countries with weaker national currencies, possibly
the least painful option at this point. However, this has been repeatedly
ruled out by the powers that be.

IMO the most likely result at this point is a full default by Greece,
possibly in the next few days, or more likely next month, followed by
expulsion from the euro. Then basically a cascade failure of exposed banks and
other nations, ending in God only knows what final outcome.

Having said that, in or out of the euro, various countries are certain to
default anyway as it’s next to impossible for them to get out of the
debt/death spiral they are in…

Rex September 18, 2011 at 19:42

Simple question……… what are the dramatic effects we are told if Greece or
Portugal revert to their own currencies or if every euro country reverted to
it’s own?
I have asked this question on several blogs and no one can tell
me what they are and I’m don’t mean what is the very wost scenario if it all
crashed but an orderly dismantling of the eurozone.
I think we are being
misled by scare tactics because a few idiots don’t want to lose face and it’s
sole purpose is for bankers and city traders to cream off greater profits and
leave us , the muggings, to pick up the bills and line their pockets.

It has to go enough is enough!!

Cascadian September 18, 2011 at 21:10

“and leave us , the muggings, to pick up the bills “…….Rex you
have an excellent understanding of the problem, even if you don’t quite
understand the intricacies of the process (and who does?) Anybody who has
money on deposit will be poorer.

Please don’t blame all the city traders and bankers, some of them are,
after all trying to protect your pension or insurance policy. The blame lies
with the politicians.

Cascadian September 18, 2011 at 19:25

I fear nobody will be laughing when the music stops, and that will extend
well beyond he shores of the hated EU.

The woefully low volume of bank “assets” in all countries are contaminated
with derivatives that nobody understands, US mortgages of doubtful worth,
pitiable quantities of precious metal and vast supplies of pretty paper (bank
notes) that we pretend are currency. We will learn to curse fractional reserve
banking.

When China and Venezuela are two of the more rational actors in this play
it is time to be very fearful.

I have no faith that people will react calmly to a bank crisis and expect a
run on the banks first in Italy which will spread rapidly. If you are
accustomed to using ATM’s , I would re-evaluate that, you may need a stash of
(ironically) US dollars or Swiss Francs for everyday transactions for a few
weeks.

Even if the international bankers somehow gull the populace to believe all
is well by “re-capitalizing” the banks you may expect roaring inflation and
perhaps worse.

In that situation a small home in a comfortable climate with access to
local produce will be very desirable.

Woodsy42 September
18, 2011 at 17:55

One suspects the French will simply shrug, cope with the fallout, then very
quickly organise themselves (starting locally where ties and organisation is
strong) and then continue with life. The UK will be a rudderless mess.

Jiks September 18, 2011 at 17:37

Good to see you are taking steps to protect yourself from the coming storm,
Anna.

I don’t have an off shore account, instead I’ve reduced my outgoings to a
minimum and moved any spare funds I have into gold/silver as those can’t be
printed by deranged central banksters. Your plan is at least as good
though.

Quite agree the french will do a better job of looking after their
interests than our two-headed zombie government on this side of the channel is
likely to look after ours.