Why would Nick Clegg say that? Why is Nick Clegg so pro-European?

Nick Clegg has warned David Cameron that Britain must not back out of Europe and dismissed plans for a referendum on the country’s membership of the EU as “putting the cart before the horse”. Why would he say that? Why is Nick Clegg so pro-European? Is it anything to do with safeguarding his nice EU pension? Remember that EU pensions are paid on the understanding that the EU can remove this pension, if in the view of the Commission or the Luxembourg Court, they "fail to uphold the interests of the European Communities".

The most deluded comment of the year?

"Europe got through two civil wars in the 20th century and we have established peace thanks to the European Union. So the European Union is the biggest peacemaker in history"
Herman Van Rompuy after EU was awarded Nobel Peace Prize.
Someone explain that at the time of both world wars there was no supranational body in Europe so these were not 'civil wars'. Also that the EU is not a country yet and whilst I have breath left in me,I will fight to ensure that the UK will not be a member of an EU superstar.

The true foresight of the visionary Denis MacShane

Regular followers of my Tweets would know that I am not a massive fan of the Labour (well sort of) MP Denis MacShane. I find too much of what he says partisan for the sake of it and often incredibly stupid. So I was intrigued to read the following at Guido Fawkes' site today:

'If only we had listened to Denis MacShane just two years ago, we wouldn’t be in the horrendous mess we are now:

“For more than a decade we have been told that the euro was a terrible idea, while the good old pound sterling would protect the British economy from the wily ways of the Europeans. Now more and more people are asking why the pound is letting us down – and whether treating it as a shibboleth that cannot be questioned makes sense any more. All the old arguments against the euro have fallen away. There is no European super-state emerging with its adoption. There is no dictation of economic policy from Brussels.

If the euro were used here as it is without fuss in countries we are close to, including Ireland and the Netherlands, then the next Governor of the European Central Bank could easily be a Brit. But if British voters are no longer going to feel like poor relations whenever they holiday in other European countries, then before long someone is going to have to begin making the case that like shillings and pence, the pound may now have had its day.”'

Denis MacShane as right on the money there as usual!

A Europhile sees the light

Per The Standard it seems that Danny Alexander has faced up to reality:

'“I think there is no doubt at all that the flexibilities we have, not being part of the euro, have been very helpful to the UK in dealing with the economic crisis we’ve had…”'

 Now what about Peter Mandelson, Ken Clarke and the rest of the Europhiles who wanted the UK in the Euro-Zone and pooh-poohed those of us who foresaw the obvious problems?