In the aftermath of the French and Dutch referendums, nothing can be taken at face value in the EU. The debate about the EU budget and the British rebate is a perfect example.
There is suspicion in the UK that it has been raised by Jacques Chirac for purely tactical reasons. He is sore about the British financial deal, true, but the new budget does not need to be agreed until this time next year. Why raise it now?
Well, it serves to deflect attention in France from the embarrassi...
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