Translating the Merkel Memo

The indispensable OpenEurope has just done a guide to the leaked Merkel memo which appears in The Times today. So it’s official: this is a stitch up. The German presidency makes clear the substance of the old constitution will be enacted, but under different language. As I say in the cover piece, this is a nightmare for Gordon Brown. Whatever is agreed next week will be finalised in October, requiring his signature. If he intends to deny the British public the vote we were promised two years ago, he’d better come up with clear reasons why not.  The British public is firmly and defiantly against further integration of the EU project – just look at the EU’s own research. We’re easily the most Eurosceptic country in the Union. I spoke to a Cabinet member about this at a party last week. “They’re misguided,” he said. I hope the Conservatives campaign loud and hard for a referendum. This could be the big one.