AS GEORGE OSBORNE appeared before Germany’s business leaders at their annual conference on November 3rd, dozens of them rose and shuffled off for lunch. Britain’s chancellor of the exchequer was not put off. There followed a well-calibrated speech articulating the _Wertegemeinschaft_ (community of values) uniting the two nations: German firms use components made in Britain, Mercedes builds its racing cars there and both exhibit a commitment to balanced books, hard work and new technology that is not entirely shared by other European countries Mr Osborne could mention. Nonetheless, it was not all flattery. Under the girders of a former station for mail trains in Berlin, the chancellor warned that Britons are worried about Europe’s economic decline, fed up with the EU’s idealistic commitment to “ever closer union” and tired of having decisions—like Britain’s later-overturned participation in the Greek bail-out—foisted on them by the euro-zone countries that dominate Brussels. No problem, reply the Germans. That Europe needs to become more digital and competitive is uncontroversial. Ever closer union was, in effect, killed off by...
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