A short round up of this week’s banalities and delusions from our leaders:

European commission president José Manuel Barroso warned yesterday against member states trying to revive the EU constitution before other European problems are solved. He rejected what he called “floating ideas” on how to revive the constitution. “It is premature to deal with the institutions, while there is no clear consensus on where to go. We should have a policy-driven agenda, so people can see the benefits of the European Union.” He underlined the need for a common energy policy and a strong internal market.

Of course, no doubt at that point we will be able to ram the Constitution down people’s throats that little bit easier. Though I somehow doubt that the current crop of policies will have any chance of success in this venture. I picture the scene thus; a group of Perigord farmers – the Eurocracy gathered round a goose, that’ll be us, stuffing down the corn.

1st Farmer to goose. “Just a little more”
2nd Farmer to goose. “We sweetened the grain for you”
3rd Farmer to goose. “It is you destiny, and your liver will taste just beautiful”

According to EU Commissioner Peter Mandelson, the constitutional treaty, though rejected by many, was “a very good basis and in many respects it has ideas and proposals which we should not lose sight of. Some of the questions raised by the constitutional treaty have to be answered. That does not mean rushing to implement the present treaty as it is, [...] I would prefer a period of longer reflection where we address how we enable the EU to function effectively and accountably.”

Sadly, however, Mandelson does not tell us which aspects of the Constitution should be changed, to what, so his wish for a longer period of naval gazing doesn’t seem to be productive use of time.

Meanwhile the German Foreign Minister is getting impatient. Mr Steinmeier, for it is he, told Die Welt that Berlin will present a “strategic plan” for ratification of the constitution at the end of its EU presidency, in early summer 2007. The treaty should then be ratified in 2009 at the latest, probably under the name “Basic Treaty for Europe.” This of course will confuse the electorate, because they won’t realise that they will be sold the same goods twice, just with different packaging. I wonder just how stupid this chap thinks people are, particularly the Dutch and French?

Down in Italy Romano Prodi has told us that he would like to see a shortened version, at the heart of which would be part 1 of the Constitution, but of course “not before the French elections in the spring of 2007” as he recognised that a precondition of getting the Constitution passed is to see the back of Chirac.