Nicolas Sarkozy and other European leaders have suggested that Britain is badly placed to weather the recession. While Chancellor, Mr Brown was resented for using meetings of European Union finance ministers to lecture them on the virtues of "prudence". High rates of British economic growth, he was fond of telling them, were a model for eurozone countries. Now the boot is on the other foot. Or is it? Mr Sarkozy, who as French finance minister in 2004 would have been treated to Mr Brown's homilies, is the one now giving the lecture. France grew by 0.7 per cent in 2008, with growth stagnating but continuing into the third quarter of last year. French growth was at 2.2 per cent in 2007. Britain too grew by 0.7 per cent in 2008. But behind the same headline figure there was further to fall for Britain, from three cent GDP growth in 2007.
High rates of British economic growth, he was fond of telling them, were a model for eurozone countries.
Now the boot is on the other foot. Or is it?
Mr Sarkozy, who as French finance minister in 2004 would have been treated to Mr Brown's homilies, is the one now giving the lecture.
France grew by 0.7 per cent in 2008, with growth stagnating but continuing into the third quarter of last year. French growth was at 2.2 per cent in 2007.
Britain too grew by 0.7 per cent in 2008.
But behind the same headline figure there was further to fall for Britain, from three cent GDP growth in 2007.
Supplying us consuming public with anything else is propaganda, and a betrayal of their true reason for being. If they keep violating our trust like this, if they continue to slant the data that we need to make intelligent decisions, the print news media might find themselves with a declining readership. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
