Another EU charade

AND so the charade continues. As this paper goes to press, David Cameron’s brave promises of a fundamental change in the relationship between Britain and the European Union seem to be descending into complete farce.

Where once the Prime Minister told us that the British lion would ‘roar’ in the face of the EU pussycat, last night’s talks appeared bogged down in squabbling over minute details and intricacies so complex and arcane that only obsessive policy wonks could follow what on earth was being discussed.

So much for any last, lingering pretence that anyone in Brussels has the slightest intention of changing anything that would make a real difference.

Indeed, European Parliament President Martin Schulz was straightforward enough to say that a deal allowing Britain even to impose modest curbs on migrant benefits would be ripped to shreds by MEPs.

Meanwhile, with the gag on eurosceptic Cabinet ministers still firmly in place, it emerges that Conservative Party official Baroness Cox was asking scores of company bosses to endorse any deal that might be agreed.

Leave aside that many big business leaders have an appalling record of political misjudgement, and just remember that many of those being approached were enthusiastic advocates of scrapping the pound to join the catastrophic euro.

Meanwhile, the BBC issues guidelines to its reporters, telling them they will not be obliged to give equal exposure to both sides of the debate, but only to ensure ‘broad balance’.

Can anyone who heard eurocrat Lord Kinnock on Radio 4 yesterday, spouting unchallenged falsehoods about trade figures and the ‘appalling’ dangers of pulling out, believe the Corporation’s employees know the meaning of balance?

This ought to be a full and free debate on one of the most vital issues of our time. Yet before the starting gun has even been fired, there’s a growing stink of an Establishment stitch-up in the air.