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Romano Prodi may be a hackneyed old Eurocrat but he is definitely onto something when he says that the British are afraid of full engagement in the EU.

According to The Great Protuberant One, Britain is:

"...constantly on the defensive, putting the brakes on, dragging its feet on vital issues, fighting a rearguard action that can hold up, but cannot stem, the tide of history."

Sadly, that's not how it looks from where I sit. And would that we could 'stem' this particular 'tide of history'. Unfortunately, we can't. The only thing we can do is save our nation and watch from the sidelines as this 'tide of history' drowns all those it engulfs.

Nonetheless, credit where it is due. Prodi is on an honesty roll as he notes:

"I wonder what makes this great nation happy to be a junior partner in a transatlantic relationship, but afraid to take its rightful place alongside its European allies?"

Allow me to clue you in, Prodi: it's because the Channel is wider than the Atlantic. Across the Channel are friends, across the Atlantic is family.