President Sarkozy of France embarrassed Gordon Brown yesterday, heaping praise
on his “courage and loyalty” for ratifying the EU treaty without a
referendum.
The president said that every other European leader was grateful to Mr Brown
for not blocking the replacement to the EU constitution.
In return the Prime Minister signed Britain up to moves to create common EU
immigration standards and cooperate on defence and nuclear policy.
At the conclusion of yesterday’s France-UK summit, the French president vowed
to continue his charm offensive designed to draw Britain into deeper
engagement in the EU.
“It is not simply a matter of a one-night stand. I believe that we can go in
to next-day breakfast as well,” Mr Sarkozy said at a joint press conference
with Mr Brown.
He said that every EU leader had reason to be grateful for Mr Brown’s “courage
and loyalty” in ensuring that the treaty, which replaced the failed EU
constitution, would be ratified in the UK. Mr Sarkozy repeated his call for
Britain to play a fuller role in the EU rather than “being on the
sidelines”. “We need the British to get Europe moving,” he said, hinting
that he had rebuked David Cameron for his pledge to put the Lisbon Treaty to
a vote during his private meeting with the Opposition leader.
For his part Mr Brown upgraded to formidable the entente that Mr
Sarkozy had previously improved from cordiale to amicale. He
said: “We believe that, working together, France and Britain can be an even
greater force for good so, if you like, this will be the entente
formidable.”
A 36-page communiqué agreed to deepen cooperation on issues including the
reform of international financial regulations and institutions, defence and
immigration. New arrangements were made to “combat nuclear terrorism” by
screening cross-Channel traffic and the creation of a British civilian rapid
reaction force to help to stabilise failing states. It was the leaders’
agreement to “take forward a new migration pact under the French presidency
of the EU” that is likely to prove the most controversial, however. French
ministers have said they want a “common definition of the right of asylum”
and have backed European Commission proposals that could see asylum seekers
shared between EU states.
Ministers sought to emphasise the measures that Britain and France were taking
to deter illegal migrants, saying they had agreed to reinforce fences around
the port at Calais, three weeks after a loophole was exposed. Illegal
immigrants have been able to sneak aboard lorries in Calais because of
inadequate fencing.
The two countries would also carry out a joint security audit and look at
creating a fast-track system to introduce lighter controls on some goods
vehicles, a statement from the Home Office said.
Ministers also agreed to cooperate to prevent any new Sangatte-type refugee
centre developing at Calais or elsewhere on the Channel coast.
As expected Britain and France also agreed to harmonise the regulation of
nuclear plants and work together to develop long-term waste facilities. The
latter issue became more urgent yesterday with the publication of an
official analysis giving warning that waste costs could prove prohibitively
expensive for would-be investors.
Mr Brown said they had agreed a common approach to the problems in
Afghanistan, Burma and Darfur, as well as the issue of nuclear
proliferation. Mr Brown announced a joint British-Franco initiative to bring
education to 16 million children in Africa.
Although both leaders called for restraint and dialogue in resolving the
crisis in Tibet, Mr Sarkozy repeated his threat to boycott the opening
ceremony of the Beijing Games.
“Depending on how the situation is looking at the time, I reserve the right to
say whether I will attend the opening ceremony,” he said.
In contrast, Mr Brown said: “We will not be boycotting the Olympic Games.
Britain will be attending the Olympic Games ceremonies. The Dalai Lama has
not called for the boycott of the Olympics.”
Mr Sarkozy admitted that there were still tensions over the Common
Agricultural Policy but said that for the first time a French president was
prepared to debate its future.
Meanwhile Buckingham Palace accepted the blame for what it described as a
“minor mix-up” that meant that Mr Brown failed to show up for a photograph
before Wednesday’s state banquet. The Queen was heard to ask: “Has the Prime
Minister got lost?” after Mr Brown failed to appear alongside the heads of
state at the event.
As the monarch and the French President looked around for him, Mr Sarkozy
reportedly smiled and remarked to his wife, Carla: “That’s Gordon.” Royal
sources confirmed that Palace officials had “misdirected” Mr Brown to sit
down.
— While the French media broadly hailed the London trip a success, hackles
were raised by Mr Sarkozy’s declaration that Britain’s record for the past
30 years was a model that France must follow.
A Le Monde columnist called this “a shameless exercise in toadying
intended to win, at whatever cost, the approval of his audience”.
Le Figaro talked of a “Franco- British honeymoon” but said that it was
up to Gordon Brown now to accept France’s hand.
France was also bemused by the collective swoon of the British media at the
arrival of the President’s new supermodel wife. “The English conquered by
Carla,” said a headline in le Parisien, under its story on
“L’opération séduction du couple Sarkozy à Londres”.
When diplomacy can be a touchy subject
— Paul Keating, the former Australian Prime Minister, put his arm around the
Queen during her 1992 tour to the country, earning himself the nickname
“Lizard of Oz”
— Geri Halliwell, a member of the Spice Girls, was scolded for turning up 40
minutes late to meet the Queen at a Buckingham Palace reception in 2005. She
also pinched the Prince of Wales’s bottom
— In 2004, when Jacques Chirac, was French President, he was admonished by
Britain’s tabloids for almost touching the Queen. One headline read “Hands
off!” and the accompanying story described how Mr Chirac “came within a
whisker of manhandling The Queen”
— Last year President Bush mistakenly said that the Queen had helped to
celebrate the US bicentennial in 1776, rather than 1976. He didn’t help the
situation by winking at the monarch, earning him a disapproving look
described by the President as one “only a mother could give a child”
What Treaty?
David Jeremy, Instow, Devon
Loyalty? Yes. But loyalty to whom? Certainly not Britain.
Martin , BirminghaM, England
Wot a load of bolitics
Robin Ergis, bournemouth,
Unbelievable, I still can not get over the fact that there was not a single riot in England when Brown handed the sovereignty of the country over to the EU. Why would they just give up and hand their personal freedoms over to a group of non-elected neo-cons?
sammy, ny,ny, usa
Nonsense M Sarkosy!
A referendum on the EU constitution treaty would have been the better and statemanlike wiser choice!
Only the majority in Britain do not want it or indeed many other points the EU thinks up in their ivory towers in Bruxelles!
In fact a quite high majority of citzens and tax payers in the EU disagree with very many points dreamt up by the mandarins in their fortress EU in Bruxelles but as in Britain have no say in the matter!
Its apparently called democracy?
Stuart Beveridge, Dusseldorf, Germany
You brits crack me up. All the whining about a treaty that you can reverse if you want to when your beloved Cameron gets into no 10 (although I bet you any money he'll change his tune when he gets there - the real compromises on British sovereignty were made by Thatcher in the 80s - SEA - but you won't read that in your eurosceptic press). You elect your politicians to sign and ratify treaties. That's how your constitutional setup in Britain works. If you put every treaty to a referendum you'd be at the polling station every month! And all this when you give away your real strategic assets almost unnoticed - Jaguar / Landrover / Corus Steel / BAA / O2 / Electricity Suppliers (to name but a few) all sold to foreign firms. Talk about fiddling while Rome burns!
Danny, Cushendall, Ireland
"Ouch!
Twice in one week: France 1-0 England.
Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts"
another poor deluded Englander that thinks UK/Britain=England. he may have noticed that Scotland defeated France twice recently at home and away. but we don't mention that in polite company.
the Scots have always preferred France to England and have done so for a number of years except getting dragged into the Napoleonic stramash when the English sailors had to be reminded that they had to do their duty. the 25%+ of sailors at Trafalgar that were Scots did not need reminding.
readers of this paper should cast their eyes of the report of Big Gordon speech to the Labour party in Scotland. it is a speech he would not dare make in England. he pointed out to the Labouratchicks the number of Scots in high places in the govenrment and how well they were doing. would not play well in darkest Surrey methinks.
Ron Oliver, Edinburgh, Scotland
It would be impossible to have a valid referendum on the EU in Britain because the British press is not mature or balanced enough to give the people a chance of making an informed decision. The majority of the press of now dogmatically europhobic
Jo Jo, London, Britain
I trust that with this impressive speech in Westminster by Nicolas
Sarkozy, Eurosceptism will be
relegated to the past in the UK.
FOR GOOD !!!!
Adriaan van der Sluijs, Schilde, Belgium
Us...EU. What have we done to give up our main strength - the Commonwealth - to be dictated to by fools with their own agendas that have little to offer the formerly great state of Britain?
Washington AND Brussels can take a hike, frankly.
We've been sold up the swanny too many times now by politicians with nothing but a big headline and a meaningless legacy in their sights.
I'm off.
william tapley, London, uk
What's with this anti-EU press, that says heaping praise = embarrassment. (it’s actually called friendship).
I am sure that if the praise came from the USA your paper would say that it was wonderful.
It's time that the US owned press in England got over the fact that we are EU Citizens and NOT US Citizens.
Peter Goddard, Epsom, England, EU
Gordon Brown has made one of the biggest mistakes, and he has made too many to count, in signing any deal with the French! The French must be popping the champagne and rolling about laughing about our childish stupidity and incredible lack of political understanding about the proposed nuclear deal with France because they have got everything they were after and more! We pay French nuclear engineers to build and run their newly designed power stations they get all the profits AND we pay for the French to sell their new power stations around the world and they get all the profits from that too! If this deal goes ahead we will sign the death warrant of our own nuclear programme and lose any independence we had and all the research and design expertise will go to France. We will in fact become a client state reliant on French leadership and management of our most sensitive industry. Gordon Brown has just sold out Great Britain to the French and they could not be happier!
Gordon the fool?
Stephanie King, Larnaca, Cyprus
It's all about choosing if obeying Washington's or Brussels' rules... I definitely prefer the second choice. edo, Dallas,TX, US: It's obvious that you, as an american, don't like the EU... the more the EU gets powerful the less your country will be able to decide for us. What astonishes me about the British People is that they get mad when their prime ministers talk about further EU integration but they silently accept the fact that Washington dictates over them. That's something I just cannot understand. But probably I am not enlightened as they are.
Horace, Turin, Italy
I never believed that the UK must abandon its currency and its sovereignty to Brussels in order to be a strong partner in Europe.
Brown was appointed, EU president Barroso was appointed, and there is no referendum on political union. Where is the outrage?
Joe, New York,
President Sarkozy embarrasses Gordon Brown? He sounds like a damn fine chap to me.
ANDREW WALDRON, Bournemouuth, UK
I havn't a clue as to why the fact that Brown is a Scot and represents a Scottish constituency in the UK parliament has anything to do with it (See MikeM, St. Albans, England).
If England had its own forum to deal with England only issues as the Scots have for Scotland only issues, Brown would still be PM of the the United Kingdom dealing with UK wide issues. It seems there is an appalling ignorance south of the border as to what devolution actually is.
Apart from that MIkeM is talking a great deal of sense.
Al Muir, Glasgow, Scotland
Sarkozy is a breath of fresh air - especially after Chirac. The world leaders need to work together in as much harmony as possible - not to jostle for position, kudos or one upmanship.
Richard, Bucharest,
It's an open secret in Europe that we're heading singularly towards a federal superstate. Let's see - we have a single currency, a single foreign minister, a single President, a single European army........ Wake up Britian - if this is what the majority want then fine, but please don't sleepwalk into it!
David, Wirral,
We are in a period where Brown thinks the electorate and parliament should be scared of him,;that being an unelected prime minister he can without regard to us, dictate that we do not have a democratic vote on the EU Treaty or its so called amendments.
Come the election hopefully we will show him that whatever happens, it is the politicians that should be scared of the people, unless of course he starts to go down the same road as Bob Mugabe which by the way he took over the government I wouldn't put past him and his cohorts.
James, Southampton,
No worries; the last great hurdle of the single currency will not be achievable in this parliament and then we shall have David Cameron thank God.
john, milton keynes,
To Mitch :)
If there were NO EU, you wouldn't live in the Loire Valley :) Enjoying life as if you were a "local French citizen"...that's a fact!
pascasl-pierre, Dinan, EU(France)
@ Ron
You wrote: "In France...the first treaty has been rejected by referendum, the second one was voted in parliament, therefore bypassing the people's decision."
But who elects the members of parliament if not the people. Nicolas Sarkozy was elected less than a year ago on a clear platform. No referendum on the new treaty. The new Parliament was elected a few weeks later so every French voter knew what they were voting for and they chose the policies of Nicolas Sarkozy.
There is nothing undemocratic about that, in fact quite the opposite.
You may dislike the policy, that is your right but the people of France have made a clear democratic choice.
Parliament will ratify the treaty and Europe will be able to advance. A great day for Europe and for democracy.
Mikey, Barcelona, Spain
@ Mitch the expat
You wrote: " Trouble is if the people had been given the real facts about Europe from the beginning there would have been no EU."
Well I believe the exact opposite. If the people of Britain had been given the real facts about Europe from the beginning, they would be more enthusiastic about it. The trouble is that for the last 30 years the English press followed by too many British politicians have constantly told lies after lies about Europe and the EU. It is called jingoism and xenophobia.
According to them nothing positive ever comes out of Europe in the same way as the poor Camilla Duchess of Cornwall is treated by the press, always making a point of putting her down.
After 30 years of brainwashing and propaganda is it so astonishing that the great majority of the British people are not keen on Europe to say the least.
The Irish people will vote in favor of the new treaty and Europe will progress. Dogs always bark but the caravan of history always moves on
mikey, Barcelona, Spain
Those who want the Irish to vote no, remember the Irish only got their constitution by rebelling against the British non-consitution. The lack of democracy in this country will not be changed via getting angry on the internet.
Paul, Coventry,
I am glad that people in Europe are starting to wake up to what is really going on. You must explain, to the extent that you can, what exactly is going on. You must spread the word convincingly and clearly.
It is unfortunate that most people still will have an unconscious tendency to resort to the word of their government over the truth.
If only people viewed their government and skepticism, we would have never been in this predicament to begin with
edo, Dallas,TX, US
So an elected French leader praises a Scot (unelected UK leader) for his "courage and loyalty" - loyalty to who, may I ask? - the people he is supposedly representing, or the European Federation?
The British electorate were grossly deceived in the referendum 30 odd years ago into thinking their vote was for a trade agreement, not a surrender of UK autonomy by stealth; too many voters still alive then had personal WW2 experience of the cost of freedom, to willingly surrender it if they had been told the truth.
We don't need to understand the fine print to vote, we can now see that all our 'centuries old' aggregated values are at risk.
Future historians will see 'de Gaulle' as Britain's friend for blocking our entry for so many years - that's funny, another French leader, died in 1970, enabling this charade to start.
MikeM, St. Albans, England
An American says "You voted for Brown, you got him." and apparently thinks this is a smart remark.
I don't think that this is just yet another example of American ignorance. There seems to be almost a conspiracy in the US press to present Brown as a guy who won an election, rather than a guy who just had the Premiership handed to him.
In fact, in the US, it's usual for Brown to be referred to as "the newly elected Brown administration". It's as if the US can't handle the idea that Brown wasn't elected to anything, except his own little constituency years ago. Of course, it could also be American journalistic laziness, which would be nothing new.
jon livesey, Sunnyvale, CA/US
One day, our sun will die.
It will only be through a united effort of every country on the face of this beautiful globe, every scientist, no matter the nationality, race or beliefs, that the human race will survive.
Separately, as we see day by day, we will drown in war, in needless bloodshed and hatred.
I don't have any solutions for this, but I know that we need to be a human race as one. Not British, not American, not German, not Indian, not African, not Iranian, not Chinese, not Japanese......but HUMAN.
Each step towards this end, however frightening, is important and fills me with hope that one day we will be able to call ourselves a united people to no exclusion.
David Elliott, Dukinfield, Cheshire, England
Roger Tilbury, Worthing, "The vast majoirty of people in Europe do not have the faintest clue about the ramifications of the EU constitution and would be voting for or against something they do not begin to understand. We elect politicians to make these decsions for us.
What possible use would such a referendum be?"
This is precisely how "democracy" works to the advantage of the upper echelons of society who are "so much more intelligent" than the rest of us - and precisely how they get away with ripping us off.
Abe Lincoln had this to say "I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts. "
Trouble is if the people had been given the real facts about Europe from the beginning there would have been no EU.
I just hope the Irish vote NO . . .
Mitch, expat, Saumur, France
Ouch!
Twice in one week: France 1-0 England.
Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts
Where would we be if we had stayed with EFTA (European Free Trade Association). Well we would be able to run: agriculture, fisheries, home affairs, justice, and more.
Also the EFTA Convention is 32 pages vs 269 pages for the EU Lisbon Treaty. EFTA has a staff of 90 vs 20,000+ with the EU. 50% of new Brussels legislation is justice and home affairs, so if we switch to EFTA, we halve the legislation - and keep the free trade part.
Maybe a wording for a referendum could be a) Switch to EFTA, or b) Continue with EU. So we have a positive choice. For more info, google: efta
Hugo van Randwyck, London, UK
judy, Liverpool, England
"The vast majoirty of people in Europe do not have the faintest clue about the ramifications of the EU constitution and would be voting for or against something they do not begin to understand. "
OK then, lets have some proper communications issued detailing these ramifications in language that can be understood by normal people NOT in obtuse "politics-speak"
Easy?
How can the average Brit trust a socialist traiter in Brown who totally dominates his weak spineless Labour Party who fear having their snouts removed from the trough or the French who traditionally hate us?
Dek Crossingham, Birmingham, England
I think it is time the newspapers conducted a Poll about the absence of democracy in this country, Then if there is a majority view the electorate are being unfairly and deliberately by-passed in the course of important decision making - then a Petition should be forwardede to H.M. The Queen who in this realm is the secular head of Government. and duty bound to act in the best interests of her subjects..
Robert, Kirk Ella,, East Yorks.,
Gorden is not the only one to get lost in winsor there is a string of people who have over the years got lost there including present members of the family. The place is said to be haunted by a goust who tries to keep people from leaving the castle. They include several stories of people who disappeared for days and have been found wandering around not knowing what has happened,
russell, diss, england
No, we didn't vote for him. We were given him as a booby prize.
Amy, London,
Actually Charles, we didn't vote for him.
Some people (not me) voted for Bliar and when he couldn't handle his (and your President's) Iraqi mess any more, he took up a nice cushy number in banking. Hence we got Brown.
Helen, London,
In reply to Charles Stehle, Washington.
No, we didn't. Gordon Brown was never voted for, power was simply handed over from Tony Blair (who was voted for) without any public say in the matter.
Just so you know.
Mariane, London,
So, Sarkozy welcomes Brown's deception and Labour's election based on a false prospectus (not their first such, by any means, is it?).
We can olny conclude that EU Leaders have initiated a consipracy of silence on their plans for the future of the EU and a determined campaign by themselves to ignore their peoples' democratic rights and wishes.
This is commonly referred to suppression and will predicatbly lead to revolts as people wake up to what is going on and realise there is no avenue open to them to challenge the direction their nation's leadership.
Edwin, Bucharest,
Mr Sarkozy said at a joint press conference with Mr Brown:
“It is not simply a matter of a one-night stand. I believe that we can go in to next-day breakfast as well,â€
In other words: We French don't just want to screw you, we want to marry you and steal everything!
Me, my wife, all my friends and family can't wait to VOTE CONSERVATIVE and Get Out Of the EU NOW before it's too late!
Mark , Maidstone, UK
Yeah Brown where was our referendum.... ahh sorry that's right we didn't actually need one!
As a taxpayer I would consider a referendum on this a massive waste of my money for two reasons
- The country turns out in their hundreds to vote the person who will end up running the country, what is the point of holding a referendum that will turn out 7 votes!!!
- Like the majority of the country I do not fully understand the amendments made to the EU constitution and have entrusted the decision making to the party I voted for in the last election. To those that think that Gordon Brown is incapable of carrying out this task in the best interest of the nation should get off their backsides and actually vote in the elections. Frankly I am delighted that Gordon Brown has not left it down to a nation of people that nop absolutely nothing of this subject to vote whether we enter or not!!!!
Steve Williamson, Manchester, UK
Only Ireland is to hold a referendum as it is required to do so by its constitution.
The rest of us are being steam-rolled by the politicians who were elected to serve us.
Revenge at the ballot-box cannot be avoided.
R Bingham, Lauzun, France
What are you waiting for to get out of the EU. We want the United States of Europe! You don't want it, get out!
berre, Poitiers,
You voted for Brown, you got him.
Charles, America
Charles Stehle, Washington, DC
If Gordon Brown really believes the EU Treaty is a good thing for this country he should have the courage to make his case for it and then allow the people to decide. It is not courageous, whatever the French President may say, to ignore the people you are supposed to serve. This administration has been totally corrupted by power and now has the audacity to think it knows what the electorate want and even to ignore undertakings given in the manifesto on which it was elected. Time for the British people to wake up before our democracy is eroded still further.
William Epps, Broadstairs, Kent
Well -I- think it's funny.
(and if this was a "Marxist" country, dear Greg, I could afford to buy a house).
M.R., stockport,
Its Scotland and france not ENGLAND I want no part of either of them
Stewart Fisher, london, England
In France, it's been worse. As the first treaty has been rejected by referendum, the second one (about as identical as it can be) was voted in parliament (sarkozy's party is majoritary), therefore bypassing the people's decision.
ron, london,
Why would either of these third world Marxist countries whom have been subjected to invasion even need a constitution?
Greg, London,
British Betrayed by Brown
David, London,
S Nussl, how do you think we feel. We are cheated and deceived and w e haven't even had a referendum!
Albert Hall, kettering,
Where was our referendum Gordon? You sold us out didn't you?
judy, Liverpool, England
The vast majoirty of people in Europe do not have the faintest clue about the ramifications of the EU constitution and would be voting for or against something they do not begin to understand. We elect politicians to make these decsions for us.
What possible use would such a referendum be?
Roger Tilbury, Worthing,
Thank You Mr President But NON I Do Not Trust Brown Or The French Lets Keep Them At Arms Lenght.
Brown Is A Traitor
Thomas, Surbiton, uk
Instead of accepting the praise from the French President on the future of the UK within europe Brown should have asked the British people what THEY wanted. By the people for the people....... RUBBISH! By Brown for Brown is more like it.
It's time the people stood up for their rights.
Stewart Bell, Greater London, UK
No real harm done. These are amusing incidents for anyone not immersed in royalty. The Brits' home courtesies should be respected there, of course... but we foreigners don't bow and kneel, at least I hope not. However, rudeness is never appropriate.
Charles Griffith , Middletown, Maryland.
Another story to fuel Europhobia. I would have thought most people in this country would be grateful for French help in immigration, defence and nuclear matters. As of paranoia about loss of sovereignty, that disappeared in 1066, so get over it!
Paul, Coventry,
In Holland we were not granted a second vote on the EU treaty which is pratically identical to the one we voted down.
The majority of the Dutch people feel cheated and deceived.
s.nuissl, amsterdam, Holland
The cat is out of the bag. In return for breaking his manifesto promise to a referendum on the EU, Brown is feted by Sarkozy and the others who are leading the countries of Europe to disaster. What has happened to parliament? Are things like immigration (the most important issue for many people), defence and nuclear matters to be decided by Brown and Sarkozy?
George, Bolton, England
You can take the boy out of Neuilly, but can you take Neuilly out of the boy ?
Joshua, Jericho,