Mr Cameron's hope and rubber band theory

There is always something faintly ridiculous about British leaders crossing the Channel to deliver speeches whose subtext is 'We shall provide a lead in Europe and here's how.'

The speeches never really work - either for the domestic or the Continental audience. The domestic audience doesn't really care; the Continental audience is baffled and sometimes affronted. We shall perhaps know that Britain is at least helping to provide leadership when her leaders stop bragging about it.