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Nick Robinson
Political editor
David Cameron chooses his EU targets
What many will describe as failure, David Cameron has described as "progress."
After two long days of talking, EU leaders may not have agreed a budget deal but the prime minister said that at least an "unacceptable deal" had been stopped.
What obviously pleased him just as much was the fact that Britain was not isolated here. The Dutch and the Swedes argued for a budget freeze and the Germans and the Danes were sympathetic too.
Mr Cameron chose not to blame countries demanding more spending - the French for their farmers or the Poles for their so-called cohesion funds.
Instead, he targeted the institutions of Brussels and, though not by name, Europe's two Presidents.
The EU Commission had, Mr Cameron said, failed to offer up a single euro in savings - an insult to taxpayers. The chair of this summit had not stood up for taxpayers' interests.
British proposals to curb the pay and pensions of European civil servants and to freeze certain programmes had been ignored.
The prime minister left Brussels looking confident. He will expect a good reception back home. He will know, however, that next year an EU budget deal will have to be done.
US rescuers comb tornado-hit area
Striking a chord
Light relief
Law of the land
Under the hood
A novel idea?
Comment number 113.
Up2snuff24th November 2012 - 23:59
To 112
Indeed
Belief is needed
To let go of ambition
But hold the best desires for and of the benefit of others
That together progress can be made
As an example for all
Democracy!
Link to this (Comment number 113)
Comment number 112.
All for All24th November 2012 - 23:48
U2snuff@111
"carry people"
Sadly, not 'democracy' that is carrying
We need focus on meaning!
All have 'directions to go', seen or to come
Equality, for democracy, permissive for shared freedom
My suspicion: kids could well grasp
There's no 'side' to this, security for all, belonging
Some might 'come to class' with parents' 'ambitions'
Not just give & enjoy, take power for advantage
Faith!
Link to this (Comment number 112)
Comment number 111.
Up2snuff24th November 2012 - 23:14
@110 All for All
I wish I did know that J_f_H means the best. The Denis MacShane's and others will not tolerate debate on the EU & Euro and it is hard to discern whether their desire is for their own ends, the ends of another narrow clique or the ends of a strict party political goal.
Democracy must be allowed to carry people in a direction they are willing to go.
Link to this (Comment number 111)
Comment number 110.
All for All24th November 2012 - 22:49
Up2snuff @106
A real poet!
Efforts to cool much appreciated
The sign of autonomy
400ch
Traps so many in brusqueness
Then to snap
You know John means the best
Years in weary harness
I've tried to tell
No trust short of Equal Partnership
Such a hard lesson
But once taken, liberating
Link to this (Comment number 110)
Comment number 109.
John_from_Hendon24th November 2012 - 22:38
107+
We need the EU and the EU needs us. We need the EU first for trade, then for peace and the joint management of our shared environment. Which I guess you don't bother about at all!
None of these rock solid arguments will have any impact on you as you have shown yourselves locked into your mindset of hatred. If you could only understand that hating your neighbours hurts you and the UK!
Link to this (Comment number 109)
Comments 5 of 113