>From the BBC website today, 2010 06 17: "There was a time when many of Europe's leaders and Eurocrats trembled at the thought of David Cameron as prime minister. They imagined long painful negotiations with an administration determined to roll-back the EU's powers and block mission creep from Brussels. So many have been surprised by the Cameron administration's charm offensive. A good slice of the new cabinet has already passed through Brussels and have picked up good reviews.
The British approach is to be pragmatic, active and constructive when they can be, whilst vigorously defending national interests. One British official said it made a "big impression" when the new environment secretary Caroline Spelman strode into a meeting speaking fluent French and German. ...............>> What the British will argue for is an extension of the single market into the service sector, energy and the internet. They believe in trade liberalisation. They want greater labour market flexibility. But many of those ideas are in fashion anyway as a sluggish EU looks to grow itself out of its crisis. There will be arguments at some stage. There always are. But, for the time being, Britain is going out of its way to find allies and to avoid the old headline "Britain isolated in Europe"." With a very pro-EU Nick Clegg as Deputy prime Minister, perhaps the UK may just complete its metric conversion anyway, as part of its 'pragmatic' approach. Certainly, if Britain is indeed not wanting to appear isolated in Europe, then any retrenchment into imperial units would fly in the face of that. John F-L
