A basic logical problem

As we know, the happy clappy idea of “Europe” is that if we all just talk to each other, cooperate, then everything will be just dandy. For example:

But common ground must be found, and soon, because the EU cannot afford countries to go bust, and it cannot afford disunity while negotiating with the US and China over the future of the global economy.

Whether or not you think it’s a lovely idea is one thing. But another, and a much more important thing it is too, is the question of whether there actually is common ground? If there isn’t, then no amount of talking and that happy clappy optimism about “Europe” will help.

And yes, I do think that in a number of areas there really is not common ground. Which is something of a problem for the very idea of the grand project, isn’t it?