A sensible judgment from the court - but possibly closing the stable door after the horse has bolted - given the added political salience the original case gave to advocates of reform of Article 8 ECHR.

Sadly a change of Government does little to change things.

We learn nothing from our neighbours on the continent about what might work. And we criminalise everything a dozen different ways.

Actually, he was a DCA minister between 2003-5. And the rot set in under Blair and Brown (sell off of court building, self-funding courts, prison works, legal aid etc.)
We are where we are because Labour is not a progressive party on prisons, and crime. (IPP, drug policy etc.) Money is spent badly.

In Scotland?

I envisage this being a big issue in England and Wales - particularly as it seems to go well beyond the Leveson proposals.

I recall Lammy being an appalling junior constitutional affairs minister under Blair. I hope he doesn’t want to join the list of awful Lord Chancellors.

The proposals are extensive, controversial and far reaching. But Labour should be concerned that - in seeking to compete with the Conservatives and Reform on their own territory - they will have only themselves to blame if things go badly wrong.

It sounds like the main aim is to deter people arriving in the first place as it’s not a serious (by which I mean reasonable and proportionate) policy.

I have no issue with the Government trying to get numbers down, but I do think policies should be effective and as humane as possible.

It seems to me that what you are really describing is a coalition of willing EU Member States.

But why anyone would want to involve the EU institutions in such a scheme is beyond me.

And the cost involved to replace both the US and U.K. would be astronomical - for little obvious benefit.

Good luck with that.

I repeat part of my original query in a slightly more pointed way.

Given the EU cannot get full agreement on its response to Russia from the current 27 (e.g. Hungary) how would it deploy any such resources?

Would deployment of an EU deterrent rely on unanimity, QMV or a simple majority at the Council, or would there be some other mechanism?

Would this new deterrent replace NATO?

So many questions…

How do you see that working?

Does this envisage the EU having some control over the French nuclear arsenal?

Or are you thinking that something new will be commissioned.

Estimates for that the renewal of Trident range between £50-200bn+ £3bn a year.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-6835....

I am well aware of the famous quote about a quarrel in a far away country of which we know little. That is not my point.

My point is that if the EU appears to renege on its commitment to a fair reset, it will likely boost Reform. And if the EU acts transactionally, these may be the consequences.

Ah. Anonymous abuse. All too easy on these sort of forums.

Of course you don’t know me from Adam, nor my views on facists (as a secular Jew I am none too keen).

Meanwhile, I fear you might not enjoy the modern takes on Churchill which make it onto this site…

You think a Russian army which has been unable to defeat Ukraine for several years would have the capacity to dominate “the whole of continental Europe”. Interesting? Personally I don’t think that’s credible.

Surely the real question is the cost of containment (and who bears it?

You might argue that it is in U.K. national interests for the local neighbourhood to remain a collection of democracies.

But then explain to me the U.K. relationship with the Gulf States, Turkey (to whom we hope to sell some jet fighters) and (prior to the Ukraine war) Russian interests.

Would you care to expand on that?

It is unequivocally the case that if UK troops were sent to fight in e.g. the Baltic, that it would be more in defence of an ideal of democracy and rights than a necessity for U.K. national interests.

And on trade issues - the U.K. currently has a trade deal with the EU and not China.

That doesn’t have to be the case forever. If the EU is perceived as unfriendly, or even hostile, why wouldn’t Brits buy cheaper Chinese cars? (In fact this has already begun and looks irreversible).