European Court of Justice « Dr Alf's Blog

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Here’s an excellent read from the London Evening Standard, edited by George Osborne. It reports that Theresa May today faced a Tory rebellion and a stark warning that “thousands” of cancer patients face delays to their treatment as a direct result of Britain’s decision to quit the European nuclear body Euratom. Critically, it points out that the agency, which governs the movement of radioactive material around Europe, is not formally part of the EU but is under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice — leading to the Government’s decision to pull out as part of the Brexit process.

Source: Tory rebellion goes nuclear: nine MPs oppose plan to quit body that would ‘threaten supply of key cancer treatment material’ | London Evening Standard

The article raises a number of important issues. Perhaps, the most important is that this issue seems to be a test of ideology Vs. Best interests – if idealogy prevails, a hard Brexit seems more probable. Secondly, it shines the spotlight on Conservative MPs who are brave enough to stand up for what is right. Thirdly, given the likely deterioration in cancer treatment, which already trails the majority of advanced nations, then the government has no overall strategy – Brexit is about idealogy and damn everything else.

Thoughts?

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Citing latest survey evidence, European think-tank Bruegel argues that trust in the EU and satisfaction with democracy are returning in southern European countries, where citizens’ confidence in European institutions was dented during the crisis years.

European spring – Trust in the EU and democracy is recovering | Bruegel

Personally, I live in Southern Europe and struggle with the conclusion that trust is returning. After an unnecessarily prolonged period of austerity, with related economic and social pain, I accept that Europe is recovering economically. For me, trust cannot recover until Germany removes her stranglehold on the Euro and related EU fiscal management. I accept that President Macron’s election in France is a positive sign.

A whole generation of young people in Southern Europe have been permanently scarred by prolonged unemployment. Southern Europe did not receive a Marshall Plan from the troika of the IMF, ECB and the EU. In the end EU financial policy came to the aid of French and German banks rather than creating growth in Southern Europe.

Southern Europe still need powerful economic help. From a related blog on on US foreign in Afghanistan, we learn that US funding for Afghanistan vastly exceeded US investment in Germany with the Marshall Plan after WWII. So when will the central bankers and the IMF face up to the need for massive investment in Southern Europe, like for example, infrastructure investment to support the distribution of offshore natural gas in the territorial waters of Cyprus?

Let ask an open question: