About this blog

Welcome to my blog - I'm Charles Reed and I advise the Church of England on foreign policy issues.
This blog covers a variety of topics from US foreign policy to European politics and the Middle East - and whatever else happens to be in the news or catch my attention.
This is a conversational blog so please join in as your comments are an essential part of making the whole thing work.
My Books
Tag Archives: Europe
Westminster: A Small Village in London
I’ve just finished reading John Le Carre’s entertaining spy thriller, A Small Town in Germany. This story takes place in Bonn in the 1960s and concerns the joyless workings of the British Consulate at a time when Britain was desperately … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Uncategorized
Tagged EU Referendum, Europe, Eurosceptism, UK/EU Relations
2 Comments
Europe and its Budget – The Need for a New Sapir Report
On Thursday of this week leaders of EU countries hold a two-day summit in Brussels to decide on the Union’s budget for 2014 to 2020, broadly determining how much the EU can spend, what it should be spent on, and … Continue reading
Posted in British Foreign Policy, Europe
Tagged Budget Reform, David Cameron, EU, Europe, Sapir Report
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Breaking up is hard to do
British politics is a funny old business at the best of times, but this week has been particularly odd and we are only just half way through. Monday saw Alex Salmonds, the Scottish First Minister, and David Cameron, the British Prime … Continue reading
Posted in British Foreign Policy, Europe
Tagged Alex Salmonds, David Cameron, EU, EU Referendum, Europe, Scottish Inderpendence, Theresa May
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Europe and the Referendum Jinni
Over the last few days there has been increased speculation about the possibility of a referendum on Britain’s relationship with Europe. This has been fuelled by David Cameron’s piece in the Sunday Telegraph and a corresponding response from Liam Fox. … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Tagged David Cameron, EU, EU Referendum, Europe, Justice and Home Affairs, Liam Fox
1 Comment
The Slow Death of Multilateralism and the Remaking of the Old World Order
The meeting today of the European Council kicks of yet another round of European Summitry to resolve the structural ills affecting the Eurozone. Europe’s inability over the last two years to take the necessary corrective steps bodes ill both for the … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Tagged Copenhagen, Europe, G20, G8, Multilateralism, Reinhold Niebuhr, Rio+20, UNFCCC
1 Comment
The Church of England is a European Church
You can always gauge how sensible ones comments are on Europe by the furore they create in certain quarters. The more sensible the comments, the more severe the tongue lashing. The Telegraph’s reaction today to the recent submission from the … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Tagged Church of England, Daily Telegraph, Diocese in Europe, Europe, European Union, Ian Martin, Rowena Mason
7 Comments
Europe and its crisis of legitimacy
The reaction across European capitals to the Greek elections appears to be one of sober relief. With Greek so deeply divided and with Europe still short of a road map to solve the Eurozone’s structural problems this is not a … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Tagged Archbishop of Canterbury, Church of England, Democracy, Euro, Euro zone, Europe, European Commission, Greece, Legitimacy
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Debating Europe’s Future
Listen closely to the recent political statements of certain European politicians, not least Chancellor Merkel, and you will realise that the terms of the Euro zone debate have changed significantly in recent weeks. If you are interested in delving beyond … Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Tagged Angela Merkel, David Cameron, EU, Euro zone, Europe, The European Union Bill
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Greece and its Anti German Sentiment
A pilgrimage to the Holy Land, followed by a series of meetings in Brussels and a week of General Synod have all contributed to a packed work agenda that has allowed little time for blogging. Today’s edition of the The … Continue reading
Europe and the Primacy of Domestic Politics
Faced with the growing fragmentation of Europe and the prospect of failed and failing states within its borders, Europe’s politicians appear incapable of providing the necessary political leadership to navigate the EU through its current economic ills. Mainstream political commentators might lament … Continue reading


