Praise for stroppy Poles
From Paul McNamara Sir: Andrew Gimson (Tole position', 17 May) is absolutely right to suggest a Polish–British alliance within the EU. French hubris, and Jacques Chirac's rant in particular, have forced Poles to become more prickly than ever about their independence.
Fortunately, Poles do not have a history of doing what they are told. Throughout the period of entry negotiations, there was the constant French and German whinge that the Poles were being typically pigheaded and awkward about their demands to be on an equal footing with their EU 'partners'. Indeed, it is these qualities which the union needs to survive, and not the forelock-tugging envisaged by Brussels. I seriously doubt whether a country like Poland, which has the oldest written constitution in Europe, is going to be in the mood to listen to the pronouncements of Giscard d'Estaing.
The EU is a wonderful idea which has been handicapped by bureaucratic inertia and an insufferable high-handedness. Perhaps an 'Alliance of the Awkward could invigorate the EU with the debate and dynamism it needs if it is to survive another generation.
Paul McNamara Lebork, Poland
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