Saturday, November 7, 2009

And so it begins

Didn't take them long, soon after Lisbon was signed they're up and running to take away British representation on the IMF.

'Lisbon Treaty should mean single EU seat on IMF board'

Simon Johnson, a former IMF chief economist, said that the passing of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, should accelerate moves towards a common European position in international economic institutions.
The Lisbon Treaty will take force next month, taking the EU another step closer towards acting as a single entity in international affairs. The treaty creates a European president and a new European “foreign minister”, who will be able to speak for all EU nations at some meetings of the United Nations.
One of the contenders for the new European presidency, Jean Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, has also backed a single European seat on the IMF board.
The Washington-based IMF works to ensure the stability of the world economy and acts as lender of last resort to governments that run out of money.
It is funded by rich countries and largely run by the US and Europe. But as emerging economies like China pay more into the fund, there is growing pressure to reform the way IMF is governed.
The UK is one of eight nations with a full seat on the board of the IMF. The others are the US, Japan, France, Germany, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Wonder how the Government will spin this one to the public? Probably brushed under the carpet at least until the economy is sorted out and then an "oops! Too late to do anything about it now." Can't see "Call me Dave's" mob sorting it out either, unless it's one of these never again moments that he's threatened, the EU will probably ignore him though, or call him autistic to his face again.
Should be interesting to see how the EUphiles spin it too, then again perhaps they wont, just call us right wing trolls for even having the temerity to mention it no doubt.

Will someone please tell me when we can leave?

5 annotations:

McGonagall said...

The sun finally sets ...

Anonymous said...

Damn it - scunnert the sun will not set until we let it. We don't have to put up with this.

We can refuse to accept their stupid laws the same as France does when it suits it - and we can refuse to pay another pound into the European Black Hole until their accounts are properly audited and our seat at the IMF is guaranteed.

If we give up THEN the sun goes down.

McGonagall said...

I like your spirit Anon but don't see that in the masses. Where is the anger that brings folks onto the streets like the French? Brits are a cowed and feeble folk at the end of their history.

JPT said...

'When can we leave?' you ask. I think the EU is like the Hotel California 'you can check out any time you like but you can never leave!'

Demetrius said...

Will this mean that an IMF team to run our economy will arrive much earlier than expected?