I completely agree with Jorge Domecq’s Talking Point (March 11) about an EU defence force and the savings that could be made from merging and the consequent rationalising of resources.

Of course this would only make sense in the case of those countries which have no meaningful defence capability or none at all, because they would be able to benefit from a fighting force paid for and maintained by those countries that have invested in an expensive and credible armed capability.

It’s difficult to imagine the likes of France, Germany, Belgium and Denmark watering down their forces and relying on those of lesser-trained and inadequately equipped members. And what happens if or when the EU falls apart? In any event, as for duplication, what on earth is Nato there for?

Poland has been threatened with isolation because it opposed Donald Tusk’s bloc presidency, Hungary because it wouldn’t put up with the EU’s refugee policy, Great Britain because it’s taking back its usurped independence.

This is nothing but a further attempt at integration in such a way which makes it more difficult for members to break away. It is the closest one can get to the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall – which came down overnight leaving countries vulnerable and, even now as part of the EU, still extremely poor.

Polish, Romanians, Bulgarians, Hungarians, et al, in the UK are running around like headless chickens because they perceive a risk of having to return to their own (relatively poor) countries after Brexit, despite reassurance to the contrary, having been disowned by the EU when Theresa May offered reciprocal guarantees to EU and UK citizens which was rejected.

Once Malta’s presidency of the EU is over and the PM is back down to earth and feet on the ground, hopefully slightly older and much wiser, political parties might consider forming an independent committee to draw up a plan B and even C for when the day comes.

 

 

 

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