Now the Dutch begin to grow some

Being reported in the Dutch English language press is a heartening sign that rebellion against further integration is growing across the continent.

Dutch news puts it this way,

MPs on Thursday night backed a motion calling on prime minister Mark Rutte to distance himself from any moves towards further unification in Europe, the Volkskrant reports on Friday.

Radio Netherlands puts it like this,

Parliament has adopted a motion which calls on the cabinet to "emphatically reject" any move towards greater European political union. The Netherlands is to retain control over issues such as pensions, taxes and wages.

The motion came after Germany and France recently submitted proposals aimed at giving the European Union more control over the economic policies of its member states.

The parliamentary parties fear that the two countries are using increased coordination of European economic policies as a pretext for achieving greater political union.

Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager had advised parliament against adopting the motion as it limits the cabinet's room for manoeuvre.

Sadly my Dutch is not up to translating the detail, but for what it is worth here it is.

Is Holland to join the Anglosphere?

The reason I ask is this. Firstly I do not know a Dutchman whose English is worse than my own, often far better - that goes pretty well the same for the Flemish of my aquaintance. So imagine my suprise when I read on Klein Verzert that a Dutch centre right party, the VVD allied to the British Lib/Dems in the European Parliament, are setting up a new immigration policy.

VVD MP Henk Kamp wants to reduce immigration as much as possible of people "who not speak Dutch or English". The minimum age of a non-EU marriage immigrant should go up from 21 to 24, to combat arranged marriages. The applicant should also pay a deposit of 7,500 euros, only repayable after five years if no call has been made on social security.

I wonder if the UK should reciprocate? I wonder what the Clegoon thinks?