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by Humphrey Carter

So, the European Union has won the Nobel Peace Prize “for promoting peace, democracy and human rights over six decades.” OK, praise when praise is due but the timing is laughable.
Many commentators have claimed that the award is seen as a morale boost as the bloc struggles to resolve its economic crisis and I hope it does.
Others have slammed the award as a joke and Ed Balls probably came out with the best reaction of the day sarcastically proclaiming: “They'll be cheering in Athens tonight, won't they?” The EU may well have done much over the years to promote democracy, like letting Greece fiddle the books to join the Union to then only bring the EU nearly to its knees. Very nobel indeed.

The irony of the whole thing is that there was plenty of back slapping and celebrating yesterday while behind closed doors, many of the EU leaders are at logger heads over the economic crisis, talk of Greece leaving the monetary union, borders being reinstated to control immigration and the United Kingdom toying with the idea of a referendum of whether it can be bothered to remain in the EU or not.

And, the decision came in the wake of the BAE Systems merger with EADS being shot down because the French, Germans and British could not reach an agreement over the new body's future.

What is more, after having seen the tension boil within the Union, Bulgaria has decided not to join while America, according to Romney, “does not want to be another Spain.” Great example the EU is setting!