Latest posts
The lady in the lake
Taking a break from thinking about the future of the eurozone or the prospects for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, I took a trip to 1940s California in the company of Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler’s iconic, hardbitten private detective. But amids...
The democratic deficit is the price Norway pays for being outside the EU
Some British Eurosceptics continually refer to the Norwegian model of being outside the EU but able to trade with it. As it happens, the Norwegian government has just published a comprehensive review of its relationship with the European Union (“...
Incident on the A598
This is the story of an accident. It wasn’t a bad one, but it could have been, and it set me thinking. I was pushing my daughter in her buggy one morning, from the park where we had been playing to the shops to get...
The Republican opponents of Barack Obama
The presidential primaries are finally underway in the United States, with candidates competing for the right to be the Republican challenger to Barack Obama in November. (Obama is unopposed as the Democrat nominee.) Although Federal Union is a Bri...
What future for Libya?
By John Parry Civil wars can be the most vicious form of conflict as recent events in Libya have demonstrated. The Benghazi-based rebels’ swift victory, achieved with Nato air support, resulted in the capture and assassination of Colonel Gaddafi wh...
Contradictions and emotional language in the eurozone (19 January 2012)
19 January 2012, 1730 -1900 Venue: The Tent at St Ethelburga’s, 78 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AG (5 mins walk from Bank and Liverpool St tube stations). Light refreshments will be served beforehand (for which contributions will be welcome on the spo...
Multiple identities and mixed feelings – more or less Europe? (19 January 2012)
19 January 2012, 1730 -1900 Venue: The Tent at St Ethelburga’s, 78 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AG (5 mins walk from Bank and Liverpool St tube stations). Light refreshments will be served beforehand (for which contributions will be welcome on the spo...
Federal Union review of 2011
Last year was dominated by the crisis in the eurozone. It dominated the debate about the future of European integration, obviously, but has also turned out to be a major influence both in the UK and around the world. Taking Europe first, it is absu...
The UK and the European area of justice, freedom and security (24 January 2012)
THE COALITION AND EUROPE AFTER THE HONEYMOON 24TH JANUARY – THE UK AND THE EUROPEAN AREA OF JUSTICE, FREEEDOM AND SECURITY MARY SUMNER HOUSE, TUFTON STREET, LONDON SW1P 3RB 2.00 – 5.45 pm followed by a drinks reception This, the fourth in...
States or citizens – the flag reveals all
I wrote on this blog recently of the United Nations as having the weakness that it represents only states and not peoples. Here is an example of the consequences of that weakness. The picture above right shows the UN flag outside the United Nations...
Solving the financial crisis – who pays?
Federal Union and the Wyndham Place Charlemagne Trust held a discussion on 10 November 2011 about the current financial crisis in the light of the ethics and vision of the European idea. The speakers were: GRAHAM BISHOP, a widely respected economic...
Is the time right for a new world order?
The answer to the question in the title of this talk is of course, yes, the time is right, but I think you would like to hear a little more from me than that. I am here as chair of Federal Union which was founded...
A view from the other side
By Patrick Mc Nally The mood is subdued. This is an underwhelming summit deal. The summit failed to deliver a decisive result in favour of the single currency and has made a grave problem more difficult by embarking on a new institutional debate over...
Three threats to the euro still remain
The European Council meeting a week ago was convened with the aim of saving the euro. Agreement was reached at the meeting about a way forward for the EU, even if the UK (and perhaps some others) will not travel with the rest. But despite...
Federal Union AGM (17 March 2012)
The Federal Union AGM will be held in London on Saturday 17 March 2012. It will discuss: (1) the latest developments in the new eurozone-plus treaty, which is scheduled to have been signed by then (2) the future of the union between England and Scotl...
Is Germany doing enough to save the euro?
Debate at King’s College London, on 12 December 2011, on the subject of “Germany has not taken enough proactive steps to solve the eurozone crisis, despite being at the top table of European politics and its economic standing.” Richar...
The case for global democracy
Based on a talk by Richard Laming at the OccupyLSX camp at St Paul’s Cathedral, 11 December 2011 Before talking about the issue of global democracy, I ought to say a few words about Federal Union and its interest in this issue. Federal Union w...
What has David Cameron achieved at the summit?
The fallout from last night’s European Council summit in Brussels is still falling out, but I think it is possible now to identify the main lines of what was and was not achieved. The news reports portray the outcome as Britain versus the rest of...
Is the sea level rising?
The Spectator last week questioned the reports that sea levels around the world are rising. (Read the article, by Nils-Axel Mörner, here.) Higher sea levels are generally expected to be one of the consequences of global warming, so if sea levels...
What patterns of share ownership tell us
An interesting statistic reported by Professor Prem Sikka in the Guardian today, regarding the ownership of British companies. The proportion of the shares in UK-listed companies owned by foreign investors has increased from 6.6 per cent in 1969 to...
