John Redwood MP has published a devastating indictment of the policies of Brussels and the European Union. At our request, he has given Syntagma permission to reprint it in full, and has agreed that other concerned websites can do the same.

First they came for the hedge fund managers. They had to be regulated, stopped from short selling, and taxed until they went offshore. They were uniquely to blame for the collapse.

Then they came for the investment bankers. They had to be bankrupted, subsidised, vilified and regulated. They were the crash.

Then they came for the elected politicians. They had to be condemned for their salaries and expenses.

Then they came for the elected governments. The Irish, Portuguese, UK, Spanish and Greek governments all were dismissed.

Then they came for the rich stars. A hypocritical comedian was dragged through the mire, a foul mouthed footballer was fined, many well heeled stars faced tax enquiries.

Then they came for the journalists. They were exposed for phone tapping and bribing.

Then they came for anyone with any income or wealth, and taxed them some more.

The EU is happy for others to take the heat, accept the blame, and pay the bills. They have not come for the EU Commissioners, the European Court of Justice or the European Central Bank. These bodies all claim they need more money and more power to right the wrongs and sort out the mess. They float above the crashing economies, the growing dole queues in Spain, Greece and Portugal, and the squeezed living standards. They turn a blind eye to the anger in the ballot boxes, and the trouble on the streets.

Are they blameless as they think? Who is responsbile for the mess of the Euro? Who is responsible for spending too much public money that taxpayers cannot afford to pay for? Who designed the austerity policies which many EU voters now dislike? Who created the rigid regulations that help deliver dear energy and badly working labour markets? Who watches as Asia out competes Europe?

Will the peoples of Europe ever think some of this is to do with their EU government? The modern EU is not of course embarked on violent repressions of freedom and voice, but it is failing to respond to the cries for help from many people in many countries.

Please reproduce this on your website.

John Evans