Thursday 1 July 2010

Contempt

Charlemagne in the Economist is leaving Brussels, and writes a last rather telling piece about life in the city during the good times (for the EU) and the now not so good times. This quote though stands out:
...a second Irish No would have exposed the EU establishment at its ugliest, with calls for Ireland to be expelled from the Union, or at least bullied senseless. Shortly after the first Irish No in 2008, I found myself at a gala dinner in Brussels. Sitting on a gilt armchair in a panelled stateroom, I was told by the head of a Brussels think-tank that the Irish result proved the idiocy of putting EU treaties to the people. “Fucking voters,” he declared, languidly extending one arm so the hovering steward could refill his champagne glass. “I mean, fucking voters, what do they know?” I still wish I had walked out.
Proof if any were needed of the EU's contempt for democracy and voters. Can we leave now please?

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