Living for the simple life. King Charles III by Mario Testino 2001 NPG P1013. (National Portrait Gallery)
[1] The French often struggle to find themselves looking better than their German counterparts. But they are looking good on energy dependency. France is a leading energy exporter, in no small part due to its nuclear reactors (which were maybe deficient recently). Germany is still meek from the consequences of their Russian Gas affair. After a decade, the government finally scuttled all of its nuclear capacity in April 2023. It was all timed to the 2022 energy crisis, where industrial capacity was seriously constrained as a result. Controversy still lingers after the government refused to keep the reactors on a little longer at the height of the crisis.
[2] The Labour Government has rejected calls to bring back free movement for EU and UK youngsters (18 to 30). Last April, the EU quietly opened talks to facilitate youth mobility that would allow EU citizens to study, work, and live freely in the UK, and vice versa for UK citizens. I admit, it is an idea I am partial to. Last year, the Tories attempted to create such a scheme with specific EU members. It failed because of the different treatment of EU citizens it represented. That’s one of the tricky things with the EU. You have to pick the whole team, not just your favourite player. I’ll keep my eye on this one for you fellas.
The golden days. When Cholera really tasted like Cholera. The Capel Family by Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) circa 1640 NPG 4759.
[3] I think we’ve found the boys’ version of Astrology— technical analysis. It’s an art form where one identifies trends and patterns from the fluctuations of asset prices (Watch out for the “death cross” or the “double top”). There is a real business around this as well. A little sick of it all, an FT journo came up with her own pattern: the vomiting camel. Rather successfully, it appears to have been spotted by multiple stock gazers. I highly recommend this short video from the FT, which has recently taken to comedy.
[4] A reflection of power in the EU. The countries contributing the most are generally those that have been criticised for their disproportionate influence over the whole thing. I have also added a clearer € term for net contributions. Poland receives far more than it gives. It is clearly a beneficiary of the system, but while also managing exceptional levels of economic growth, largely unseen in other EU countries.
[5] This is the big day at the Elysée Palace as President Macron meets the different group leaders to pick a new Prime Minister next week. I wonder how all the footsies and flirtatious eye contact travels between the tea and cookies. In all likelihood, the left bloc might well see their chosen lass, Lucie Castet, take the PM’s seat. Meanwhile, I've charted my own course for the morning: a £4 "Freedom Breakfast" at the local Wetherspoon's, to ponder over the day's excitements at my leisure. Free tea and coffee refills!
Fred Astaire, by Terry O'Neill, April 1986, NPG x126153, © Terry O’Neill / Iconic Images