[europe] broon, sarko and the day freedom died

"I told you not to worry, Alfred! I told you I'd stitch Britain up, didn't I?"

"Yes but what about England, Broony?"

"Didn't we agree not to mention that unspeakable place again? Take it from me, Freddy - those bstds have no chance."

Firstly, will you all bow your heads for one minute and say a silent prayer of farewell for freedom in Europe:

Thursday, October 18th

Sad day for Europe, sad day for the World.

Secondly, it's not as if French workers weren't warned - train drivers and electricity workers get benefits "which allow them to retire on full benefits as early as 50" and are a product of post-war Europe.

Such a system now costs the government around 6bn euros (£4.18bn; $8bn) a year and Mr Sarkozy insists the state coffers simply do not have enough money any more for these generous handouts. Only if negotiations with the unions fail would he force through a solution, he promised, but the unions are clearly taking no chances.

It's very interesting - the old capital v labour issue of the 1880s with one added factor: "v EU". As in the USSR, workers have enjoyed conditions which are no longer supportable in a market economy and yet … and yet.

A glance at the map above shows that the city workers largely went for Segie and now here is the opponent removing their benefits, with the approving nods of regional and well off blue sections of the country.

This blogger has always been sceptical of the desire of one part of a population to legislate for another, such as socialist attempts to "redistribute" other people's earnings. I'd like to know how the blues would react to being dispossessed too - if there are to be cuts, let all share the misery equally.

Sarkozy stands with the EU and French flags intertwined but if the obscene EU corruption and wastage were reversed and France truly looked after French interests instead of subsidizing already bloated, invisible plutocrats, substantial benefits could still be passed on to the workers.

Of course, that was the devil's EU bargain with Sarko - he'd get the nod if he'd squeeze the workers but perhaps there's a little of the rogue elephant to him and he might wangle something out of the EU which Segie clearly could not have done.

"Work more to earn more" sounds a fine mantra but it doesn't seem so wonderful in a different form: "work more to subsidize obscene EU wastage".

Thirdly, the divorce was inevitable really, wasn't it?

Dangerous to pontificate, without knowing the whole story but I can't help feeling that both Segelene's partner and Sarkozy's could have been a little less "into me" and a little more "for France" - neither greatly impress as human beings.

You could say that about Sarko and Segie too [living in sin with four children and loopy ideas about sexuality] but they are not just themselves - they are the nation. There is no sexism in this - her man should have realized the conditions. First Lady, First Man - the rules of the game are the same.

Say what you like about the British Firm being a dysfunctional family but they knew what duty was, something the Queen Mother had in great measure but Diana never took on board. For all her faults, I'd prefer the Queen Mother.

So, here we are back in the United Scottish Kingdom and we need a referendum on the EU. Any chance, Broon?