Chris Johns

But the tenor, the theme of the article is a clever one, as always with Janan.

And he asserts that in all but name, Britain has already rejoined the EU.

And why does he say this?

Well, he goes back in time, back in history, which always interests both of us when it comes to things European, Jim.

Because one of the many criticisms I've made of the British body politic over decades has been that they've never really tried to explain to the British people what Europe is all about.

I'm not sure that many politicians in many jurisdictions have done it, actually.

Do you remember when Ireland and Britain first joined the EEC?

I suspect it was called back then, or maybe the European Community or something, back in 1973, Jim.

I sure do.

Just a nip.

And I've always tweaked your tale a little bit and a lot of my Irish friends for saying that there was really only two main motivations for Ireland joining Europe back in 1973.

One is touched on by Ganesh and one is my invention.

Ganesh's story is that Ireland wanted to escape the governance of the Catholic Church and wanted, therefore, in a way, a subconscious way to be more ruled by Brussels than by men wearing silly clothes.

hats and coats.

I actually don't agree with that.

I thought you would say that.

The second reason, which I've always teased you with, is that, and this is mine, not Janan's, is that at the time, Britain was at best ambivalent about joining the EU.

And there was always a huge anti-EU faction, particularly within the Tory party, that then went on to campaign for 40 years and eventually won.

So Britain always had a very ambivalent, as I say, at best attitude towards the EU because Europe was this chaotic place.

It had Ireland and the Irish experience and Ganesh's explanation.