Mr Tony Blair's speech in Ghent on Britain's role in Europe, underlined his political commitment to ensure his country becomes a central player after what he described as many missed opportunities over the last fifty years. It is an important message, all the more so for insisting that Britain seeks a reformed European Union in which it can feel more at home. But there will be many sympathetic international observers who will regret that he was not able to say anything new or positive about joining the euro, the crucial test of that commitment.
Among the missed opportunities, Mr Blair listed the opt-outs from the European Coal and Steel Community in the early 1950s, the EEC in 1957 and the Social Chapter in 1992. He did not mention the euro, also in 1992, and the Schengen agreement incorporated in the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam; but they tell the same story of reluctance to become involved at first and the discovery on joining later that institutions did not reflect British interests or British experience. Yet he argued convincingly that Britain has always been at the centre of Europe, having been a European power before it became an imperial one. In the days of empire its policy was to preserve the continent's balance by opposing those who wished to dominate it. Thus it has only been in the post-imperial phase that it has retreated into semi-isolation.
Such an historical account is necessary, given the current state of opinion in Britain which is cast in that isolationist mode. It is accompanied by several realistic observations about Britain's international influence, including the important point that the United States "wants Britain to be a strong ally in a strong Europe. The stronger we are in Europe, the stronger our American relationship". Mr Blair cites several cases of structural reform in the EU and its member-states under the influence of globalisation and revolutionary technical change and looks forward to the special EU summit in Lisbon next month to set out the parameters for modernising economic and social systems.
Given that recent opinion polls show 69 per cent of UK voters against joining the euro - and 34 per cent in favour of pulling out of the EU altogether - it is not surprising that Mr Blair feels he has to hasten slowly to join the common currency. The latest indications are that there will be a gap between the next general election and a referendum on the issue. This is justified on the basis that voters will not be bounced into a decision. But it also contrives to keep it off the political agenda. That gives many hostages to fortune and cannot last long as a credible strategy. To govern is to choose and to lead. Mr Blair has made an important contribution with this speech. It is to be hoped it will inaugurate a more vigorous effort by his government to convince the British electorate of the merits of his case.