The Boiling Frog: "Greece Won't Leave The Euro?"

Thursday, 31 May 2012

"Greece Won't Leave The Euro?"

From the same chap who thought VAT was a Thatcher invention, we now have this

(hi Mum!) I'm going to stake what little credibility I have here: I don't think Greece will leave the euro. Not now and probably not ever.

I'm saying nufink...*

*Can I have a job writing for the Telegraph being paid to talk bollocks...?

8 comments:

DeeDee991 June 2012 at 07:20
The DT seems to have a policy of ditching it's experienced and knowledgeable journalists (Heffer)and bringing in the yoof .... Knowles and recently a bint called Donata something or other.

Both look and and write like new post-graduates, barely out of university and lacking any historical context to their 'opinion pieces.'

When I've finished with the blogosphere and turn to the papers, RightMinds in the Mail is often now better than the scribblings of the yoof in the DT.
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Edward Spalton1 June 2012 at 08:15
The one thing (well, probably one of many) which is overlooked here is the role of an increasingly bumptious Turkey which is following a very "forward" diplomatic policy in the Balkans, holding itself out as the "motherland" of all Balkan Muslims.

Whatever the trials of remaining in the euro, Greece will want to hold on to its EU membership as a counterbalance to Turkey which is also becoming pushy with regard to discoveries of oil and gas in coastal areas where there are disputes over territorial waters.

There is also open discussion in the German press (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for one) about the need/justification for European military intervention in Greece, should it become a "failed state". Even the Eurosceptic British press seems to regard reporting of this topic as "verboten".

See the German website
www.german-foreign-policy.com ,
for some sober, careful reporting on the matter.
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Richard1 June 2012 at 12:02
Wasn't aware the child Knowles had any credibility.
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Sebastian Weetabix1 June 2012 at 15:54
What is he, 20 years old? I wouldn't trust him to sit the right way round on the lavatory. No doubt he's a graduate of that upper class version of media studies, PPE.
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TheBoilingFrog1 June 2012 at 20:21
@DeeDee99 In truth I just think that Mr Knowles is just fundamentally an idiot which has no relation to his age and certainly a condition that won't be solved by the process of him getting older.

I do agree though that his appointment is a reflection of DT's direction - one has to wonder what Mr Knowles had to do to achieve his position and I think on reflection I may not like to know...

@Edward Spalton Ta muchly for your informative comment and for the link, it's much appreciated.

@Richard, Nor I, but then we can hardly expect Mr Knowles to be imbued with self-awareness now can we...?

@Sebastian Weetabix He openingly boasted a couple of weeks back that he was 24 and re: PPE I suspect you're very right
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Daniel19793 June 2012 at 15:57
Have to say I usually skip past his posts having read some of his earlier posts. Every now and then he posts something so nonsensical that I have a read for a giggle.

I am not normally one for blog-bashing but he seems completely out of place on the DT Blogs that I have to wonder who did what favour to get him that job.
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Unknown9 June 2012 at 10:00
If Greece is planning not to leave the Euro Zone, then it is a brilliant idea, because if they depart from Euro Zone, they will encounter many economic problems.

By: exchange rates comparison
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Serviced Apartments Guy4 March 2015 at 14:54
Haha! He certainly looks like a mere apple cheeked boy, maybe give his some time I guess?
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(Adam Boulton Sunday Times, 2001)

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(Peter Mandelson, 2003)

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(Andrew Duff Lib Dem MEP 2011)

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(Felipe Gonzalez, a Spanish former PM, 1998)

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(European Council conclusions, 2001)

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(Virgin Group Chairman, Richard Branson, 2000)

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(WPP Group CEO, Sir Martin Sorrell, et al., 2003)

"A single currency, introduced at the appropriate time, will reduce costs for businesses that trade or invest across Europe...More investment in growing
businesses means more employment".
(Then BP Chairman, Lord David Simon, 1997)

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(Former Energy Secretary, Chris Huhne, former CBI Director General, Lord Adair Turner, et al., 2002)

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(Former Business Secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, 2003)

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(Centre for European Reform Director, Charles Grant, 2001)

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(Former Labour Party leader, Neil Kinnock, 2002)

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(Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, 2009)

"Obviously joining a currency that everybody in Europe - including soon all the new European Union members - are using, a currency that American and Japanese and overseas businesses understand, has to make sense".
(Then UK Europe Minister, Denis MacShane, 2003)

"The euro, despite gloomy predictions from anti-Europeans, has proved to be a success".
(Former Lib Dem leader, Charles Kennedy, 2002)

"In reality the economic integration between Britain and the Continent is so close, and we have confirmed this because we all belong to the common market, that it can't be good in the long run to stay out of such a cardinal element as the currency union".
(Then German Finance Minister, Hans Eichel, 2002)

"There are no real benefits and some real costs to the UK of monetary independence... it makes sense from a financial stability perspective for the UK to contract out monetary policy to the ECB".
(Citigroup Chief Economist, Willem Buiter, 2007)

"Taking part in EMU would improve policy and performance enough to eliminate many of the strains that sceptics predict would emerge without the safety valve of devaluation".
(BBC Trust Vice Chairman, Diane Coyle OBE, 1997)

"The euro is like a breastplate that will become more and more resistant. The stability of the currencies within its area is without question".
(Then EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner, Yves Thibault de Silguy, 1998)

"The strict rules attached to the euro could emerge as one of the best ways to persuade the markets that we will put Humpty Dumpty back together again, put the public finances in order".
(Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, 2009)

"The question of entering the euro is worth a lot more to Britain than the wild anti-federalist fantasies peddled by those who think Britain should have nothing to do with Europe. Nobody of any consequence in Europe wants to create a federal super-state".
(Former Business Secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, 2003)

The British Government Knew The Consequences In 1971

Foreign and Commonwealth Office 30/1048 - 1971

...the transfer of major executive responsibilities to the bureaucratic Commission in Brussels will exacerbate popular feeling of alienation from government. To counter this feeling, strengthened local and regional democratic processes within the member states and effective Community regional economic and social policies will be essential.

Parliamentary sovereignty will be affected as we have seen. But the need for Parliament to play an increasing (if perhaps more specialised) role may develop. Firstly, although a European Parliament might in the longest term become an effective, directly elected democratic check upon the bureaucracy, this will not be for a long time, and certainly not in the decade to come. In the interval, to minimise the loss of democratic control it will be important that the British Parliamentarians should play an effective role both through the British membership in the European Parliament and through the processes of the British Parliament itself.

Test

Thursday, 31 May 2012

"Greece Won't Leave The Euro?"

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