European Parliament a ‘roadblock’

THE European Parliament could present a “serious roadblock” in attempts to renegotiate Britain’s EU membership, David Cameron has been warned.

Martin Schulz, the president of the parliament, warned that the Prime Minister’s hopes for an “emergency brake” on migration could be “discriminatory”.

He suggested that European leaders were so exasperated with Britain’s demands that they were saying privately that “if Brits want to leave, let them leave”.

Mr Cameron has travelled to Poland and Denmark to try to secure support for his EU deal.

Did the Government ever actually get round to deciding what “British values” were? I think I recall some waffle about respect for the democratic process and the freedom to practise any faith, but those are hardly exclusive to Britain.

Perhaps I can help. In my view there is one thing that, above all else, sums up what it means to be British.

It’s the passive-aggressive public notice.

At my son’s nursery, a notice has been put up by the management. “Dear parents/carers,” it says. “We would like to ask that all buggies are folded down before being put in the buggy park.”

Nothing wrong with the request. It’s the heading that interests me. Underlined, in extra-large bold letters, it reads: “Polite Notice.”

That word “polite”. Chilling, isn’t it? Just imagine: the seething, white-hot, cuticle-gnawing fury that drives someone to issue not merely a notice, but a notice.

Now that’s Britishness. Other nationalities are polite when they want to make people feel welcome. We’re polite when we want to make people feel ashamed.