AMID the clamour of the fuel protests, it has passed unremarked that Mr Blair, so far from being 'Churchillian' in his refusal to lower fuel taxes, is, in fact, cravenly doing the bidding of his masters. No, not us, though it is to do our bidding that he was elected, but the finance ministers of the EU.

At the recent meeting at Versailles, they resolved that there should be "no change in their policy on oil taxation -- for economic and environmental reasons."

Ministers expressed their disappointment that France had granted tax concessions as a means of stopping blockades, but, significantly, Pedro Solbes, the EU commissioner for economic affairs, shrugged off the French action by saying "It's no use crying over spilt milk."

So, the French get away with it, as ever, while Blair places compliance with the EU above the welfare of his people.

Meanwhile, in Norway, which, not being a member of the EU, is not bound by the Ecofin agreement, the Christian Democrats have responded to public concern, and have joined the Conservatives and the Progress Party to create a majority in Parliament in favour of cutting the 70pc petrol tax by half a crown a litre. It makes one positively wistful, does it not, to see a free democratic government taking up the reigns of its own country, and acting in response to its electorate's distress, rather than pursuing an alien agenda set in Frankfurt and Brussels.

"In Europe but not run by Europe". Dream on.

Nigel Farage

UK Independence Party MEP