Nicolas Sarkozy cancels meeting with Gordon Brown
Only a few weeks ago Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown appeared to be joined at the hip as the jockeying for position in the new EU hierarchy continued. It was around about this time that Nicolas Sarkozy and Gordon Brown agreed to a meeting in the UK to discuss the future of the London financial markets and the changing regulatory environment. However, after yesterday's suggestion that the French government, via their EU financial representative, are "going for the UK financial markets" he has suddenly backed out of the planned meeting.
While the relationship between the French and the UK, at least within the EU, has been fairly rocky in the past, it was thought that Gordon Brown had appeared to find a level with Nicolas Sarkozy and both parties were looking to work together for the future. However, this impression has been blasted apart after news that the French had "duped" the UK government into accepting a less prominent representative as EU foreign minister while the French have "bagged" the crown of the EU which is the position of finance minister.
It would appear that we are on course for significant infighting within the EU, at least in the short to medium term, with various parties looking to increase their own influence within the EU halls of power.
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