COMMENT It was once mischievously said of James Maxton, a militant 20th-century Scottish socialist, that “he was a politician who had every quality save one – the gift of knowing how to succeed”.
Those rejoicing in Ireland’s rejection of the European Union’s Lisbon treaty may be tempted to say something similar today about the EU. After last Thursday’s referendum, it would appear that the 27-nation bloc has admirable qualities in abundance – save the gift of knowing how to write simple treaties capable of winning the hearts and minds of its citizens.
