Greek Reverse – Not By Greeks

A referendum can be a difficult thing for the why-oh-why part of the Fourth Estate, especially when it is proposed by one of those people from countries who not only talk foreign, but also write funny as well. So it was when Greek PM George Papandreou called one over the financial restructuring package offered to his country by the EU.

One might have thought that, given all the howling for such a vote in the UK on our remaining within the EU, there would have been a chorus of approval, but the obedient hackery of the legendarily foul mouthed Paul Dacre was having none of it: Greece was “A corrupt nation holding a gun to the EU’s head”, asserted the furious headline.

But the Daily Mail need not have worried: Papandreou clearly had another think about it, and today declared that the Greeks were not, after all, to be offered a vote on the bailout package. This, though, was even worse: this was an “EU turn” (geddit?!?) and Greece had been “bullied” into changing tack. The thought that Papandreou had thought better of it – and considered his future – did not enter.

Who was behind the “bullying”? The Mail’s unfeasibly smug James Chapman had the answer: it was “Merkozy”. Wow. As Derek and Clive said, he ought to be on the radio with stuff like that. Also bidding for a place in the limelight is his colleague Tim Shipman, who says the Treasury admits the Euro is breaking up. How will I pay my hotel bills this week with those worthless Euro?

How? Those Euro aren’t worthless, so I won’t have a problem. The Treasury didn’t make the admission, Shipman is full of wind and water, and the Mail is misleading its readers. Pope Catholic, bears dump in woods. The Express is even in close pursuit, pushing the line that Papandreou has been “backed into a corner”. At least they’re all facing the same way now.

Pity it’s not the direction they were facing in yesterday. No change there, then.