The Greeks have spoken.

With nearly two-thirds of the vote counted, Greeks look to have given the 'Big No' with a 60pc majority against Europe's bail-out conditions

Interesting times ahead. Is this the start of the end of the EU?

That Cyprus thing.

You’re walking along the road, minding your own business, when a man walks up to you and demands you handover your wallet.

In your wallet is 100 euros.

The man opens your wallet and takes out 7 euros, and then walks off.

What just happened? In my mind it is just straight theft. To the EU it’s just a way of balancing the Euro books.

After this little escapade I can see that anyone in the southern EU area (Spain, Portugal, Greece. etc) will now quietly begin withdrawing their savings from the banks. (Well I would).

I suspect that that little theft is going to cause more problems to EU banks that are up shit street already.

Just saying.

History of Europe

 

Peace in our time. Over?

Politicians really can stoop to new lows in the fight to save the Euro.

Peace in Europe could be shattered if the euro collapses, the German leader Angela Merkel said today.

Christ on a crutch. How crass.

As EU leaders gathered for their second emergency summit in four days, she stunned diplomats by saying: "No one should think that a further half century of peace and prosperity is assured. If the euro fails, Europe will fail."

And a fat rat looks like it’s leaving the sinking ship.

On top of the tensions, the sense of turmoil was fuelled by reports from Rome - quickly denied - that prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has agreed to step down because his coalition is cracking under the strain of austerity measures.

There could be good news, further down in the article.

"It isn't. And that's why I say if the euro fails, Europe will fail, and that mustn't happen."

I live in hope.

Peter Oborne on “That Idiot from Brussels”

You can watch a short clip here.

Or you can see the whole thing here at Newsnight.