42. Of Barbed Wire, Sleaze and Blackouts [BONUS]

Uncommon Decency

Europe—that is to say, a continent far surpassing the European Union (EU) in size and historical depth—is in the midst of several crises, each testing its resolve and resilience in different ways. The political class, to begin with, is no longer trusted to carry out its duty honorably by the majority of European societies. This past week, the United Kingdom has further aggravated this sense of disillusion by providing the latest ethical scandal or “sleaze”, in Westminster jargon. A slate of senior Tory Members of Parliament (MPs), Sir Geoffrey Cox among them, are alleged to have trespassed the limitations on lobbying activities conducted whilst in office. Meanwhile, the EU keeps careening toward another refugee crisis, although unlike the migrant crisis of 2015, these refugees are unlikely to be portrayed as victims. Instead, they’re being funneled to the Polish-Belarusian border from places like Kurdistan and Afghanistan as part of a deliberate pressure campaign. Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Europe’s pirate state, is allegedly being puppet-mastered by Vladimir Putin to retaliate against the EU’s sanctions on its Eastern neighbors. Finally, the third crisis concerns energy. With Germany’s use of nuclear energy expected to phase out in the coming year and energy demand fast picking up, Europe’s energy prices are soaring all over, casting doubts over the continent’s post-Covid economic recovery and raising the prospect of widespread blackouts this upcoming winter. We discuss this and more in this bonus episode—the 42nd in our series—recorded with Julian Graham, a dear friend of the show.

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