Just Say ‘No’
‘AT its closest point, mainland Europe is only 21 miles away, but were far less likely to read a report on German foreign affairs or Danish education policy in our newspapers than we to hear about an American woman who has cut off her husbands penis in an act of revenge.
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| There can be only one Viktor |
Often, the only time we read about what is still touchingly called The Continent is when the story contains the headline word no.
And there is the no story today in the Times, where players in the no campaign against Britains acceptance of a European constitution met at the Savoy, London for a £300-a-plate dinner.
Most of the £500,000 raised at the event came from the auction of things like a pair of rare breed Middle White breeding piglets and a days shooting on former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Cranbournes Dorset estate.
Other lots included: a picture of Baroness Thatcher (donated by, er, Baroness Thatcher); a day at Westminster in the company of William Hague (with 10-pint pub lunch); and drinks with the Suns political editor, Trevor Kavanagh.
The yes vote doesnt stand a chance when the no camp makes offers like those. European integration is all well and good for some, but you know where you are with a randy pig. Eh, Rebecca Loos?
But while the UKs Eurosceptics are prepared to selflessly dine out on traditional British fayre eaten off fine bone china in a five star hotel, Ukrainians dig in for their own No vote.
Standing in the driving snow in Kievs Independence Square, the Telegraph looks at the 100,000 snow-covered protestors demonstrating against their countrys new president, the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych.
And the conclusion is that however noble the aim to get their own man in power, the pro-European Viktor Yushchenko, the freezing weather presents a bigger obstacle than the heavily armed riot police who stand before them.
Their biggest ally, however, will not be the European politicos identified in the Independent Gerhard Schroeder, chancellor of somewhere or other, European foreign policy chief, Carlos Kickaball, or EU president, Manuel de Barcelona but dear old Dubya (so familiar are we with him, hes even got a nickname).
The Guardian says that the US raised the stakes in the Ukraine when Colin Powell, the secretary of state, said that Washington would not accept the official result of Ukraines presidential elections.
It has threatened to ostracise the new regime unless something is done to put right what the Bush administration and many others see as a rigged election.
Which, as any British-European will tell you, was really won by a gentleman by the name of Al Gorky…’
Posted: 25th, November 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
