Are Eu ready?' No, we're not - by Stephen Wall
For Britain to lead in Europe, British political leaders have to believe in Europe and like Europeans. There are few people like that around. Denis MacShane is Labour MP for Rotherham and was minister for Europe 2002-05. This finely written, intellectually honest account of Britain's relationship with the rest of Europe lifts the curtain on how the permanent state executive relates to the democratically elected one. Stephen Wall was a mandarins' mandarin. For a quarter of a century he was Whitehall's Mr Europe to a succession of foreign secretaries and prime ministers. Those who want the lowdown on the complexity of negotiating with the other nations of Europe will find details of long-forgotten battles.
