Editorial Intelligence's review of the newspapers:
EU VETO:
The International Herald Tribune's Roger Cohen says the thing about the Euro-sceptics behind Cameron’s Brussels bungling is they turn past glory into posturing theater. Their nostalgia for British greatness is often no more than the trumpeting of a bunch of insular snobs who seem to have a hard time restraining their inner-fascist. The Independent's Steve Richards thinks Nick Clegg must now face up to the true nature of his Coalition partner. The Prime Minister is the considerate, constructive wrecker of Britain's relationship with Europe.
Ian Birrell believes David Cameron is in a stronger position today than he was before he went to Brussels. He should exploit it. Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium, believes Cameron's veto may also have unwittingly brought France and Germany closer together.
In The Times Rachel Sylvester says the Prime Minister may be an accidental hero of the Right, but he must not also allow himself to slip inadvertently off the centre ground. David Laws, the Lib Dem MP, thinks Lib Dems and Conservatives will never see eye to eye on all matters European. But if this coalition is to last, as it must, both parties must confront some home truths and start building out of the rubble of last week’s summit a common agenda that truly advances the UK’s national interests.
The FT's Philip Stephens wonders whether this was the moment we stumbled out of Europe while Gideon Rachman speculates that it might just be the latest act in a long drawn-out melodrama that still threatens to turn into a tragedy.
The Daily Mail's Max Hastings notes here we are, facing two of the gravest crises of our lifetimes — the lesser about Britain’s relationship with the EU, the graver about a threatened collapse of the European financial system. Yet no one who watched yesterday’s Commons proceedings emerged a jot wiser about what is happening or where we go next. The Guardian's John Harris fears we are crawling along in the slow lane of a newly three-speed Europe, with no clear idea of where we might be going.
The Daily Telegraph's Mary Riddell thinks the eurozone crisis has brought Labour and the Lib Dems closer than they ever expected.
In The Daily Express Frederick Forsyth calls on Angela Merkel to mend the euro.