A WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY

PM David Cameron und Frau flew off to Germany this afternoon for a weekend with Angie und Herr Merkel just to show how close are not only the two families but the UK and Germany as well.  Yeah, right.  Fact of the matter is the meeting highlights just what the desperate state of play within Euroland demands at this moment and whilst time, effort and attention are being spent on the Cypruses and Portugals of this world, the real drama is probably having it's opening act just outside of Berlin this weekend.  More and more it seems to me that the future of the Union, if there is to be a future, will rest upon whether the very real disagreements and differences between these two major participants can be resolved in the face of a British public which is less supportive as each day passes and the German Volk who are increasingly vocal as to whether Germany would be better off out rather than in.

A colleague of mine once said a while back that the Brits have lost all of the superiority they once had except for the complex.  Still apt today I think but Mr. Cameron does have at this stage a much stronger political hand to play than does Frau Merkel, although heaven knows that the situation could change in the bat of an eye.  Problem is (at least to me), I've never much trusted Mr. Cameron and I have no idea--and I suspect neither does Ms. Merkel--what sort of a game is going to be played.  Has Mr. Cameron made within his own mind a committment to Euroland?  Has he decided to work for a clean break?  Or is his decision to be simply a political one: hold up the wetted finger and see which way the wind is blowing?  Perhaps we will have some better idea after this weekend but I think, unlike the Majority of Euro pundits, the course of action will occur within a year and if Mr. Cameron decides to in fact put the vote to the British people, they will write finis to this bold and if I may say so, mad experiment.

Anyway, while this is going on the truly terrible state of affairs surrounding Cyprus, Portugal and surly to come, Slovenia is becomming more and more apparent even with an extention of terms being granted to Portugal and Iceland (remember them?) in their restructuring transactions insofar as to repayment which will change nothing as it never has unless the economy of Euroland picks up rather dramatically...which it will not.  On top of all of this Monday is the 15th. and I have to pay taxes.  I hate paying taxes to this particular bunch of  numbskulls that run our government.  I have a feeling that this is going to be a miserable weekend all over the place.  Then again, perhaps I'll be proven wrong.  It's happened before...no kidding it really has.