A Happy New Year?

Happy New Year?

For anyone who writes this is the time to wish « all our readers » a happy new year. And so I do. Incidentally, in Scotland, which seems to have laid the principal marketing claim to be the prime usher-in of the new year, it is deemed unlucky to wish anyone a happy new year before the new year actually arrives ; I'm safe on that count. So my wish is a good wish although one that will inevitably face the test of reality. Predictions aren't my forte but a reality check could be on the cards.

I think the major concerns for the new year have to be economic. Perhaps less for people of my age, who have had the benefit of several decades of general economic growth, and more for younger generations, particularly for our children, for those of us who have them. For these latter, the outlook has to be, at best, challenging. From some 15 years ago it became clear that education and health would have to be paid for privately, at least to a significant extent. That is, of course, in countries that had been accustomed to their being either free or highly subsidised. So well and good but private payment assumes private economic well-being. For most western developed countries, this assumption will be false, certainly for next year and probably for several years hence.

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In France the situation is much as elsewhere in Europe. Unemployment is high, salaries static and inflation above target, with job cuts forecast. President Hollande's trumpeted wealth tax has just been judged unconstitutional by France's highest court. The politicos will amend the tax rules to get round that but the tax will do nothing for the economy even if it sends out generally popular signals.

Life in the village is unlikely to be affected very much. The influx of “foreigners” from anywhere north of Lyon continues and so therefore does the house renovation work that sustains most of the local artisans. There are also several instances locally of new roundabouts, road junctions and road bend eliminations which, although mostly unnecessary, will provide more work. And local agriculture is as ever protected by the Common Agriculture Policy.

Steve, Jo, Edward (Marijke's husband) and Marijke came round for drinks early on new year's eve and we had a discussion on coffee-making, Edward being a designer for Philips' kitchen domestic appliance group. I learned quite a bit from the discussion which I shall try to put into practice. Edward asked me is I had considered taking French nationality, for which I am now eligible. My reply was that I would if the UK left the EU, a possibility that I have never seriously considered before. However, Edward and I agreed that the objectives of the principal EU members were political rapprochement whilst the UK objective was the common market. And Edward and I agreed also that the common market was never going to happen. So, why is the UK in the EU? That question no longer seems to be blue sky in the UK but one that can seriously be asked. Maybe the coming year, and debates on the EU budget, will clarify the point.

At least the weather for the past two days has been brilliant: bright, sunny and with temperatures approaching the 20 degree mark. Long may that continue.