Letter From London

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Two significant events have occurred recently which deserve closer attention. First, as part of a restructuring of its diplomatic services, the US has announced a reduction in the number of diplomats in Europe and an increase in its presence in Asia. Second, Mittal Steel's dramatic £12.7 billion hostile takeover bid for Arcelor, the European steel giant, has generated a heated controversy in Europe. Both events have a common sub-text which is quite clear: The balance of power in the world is slowly shifting eastwards. Explaining the diplomatic reshuffle, Condoleezza Rice is reported to have said that in the 21st century, emerging countries like India and China "are increasingly shaping the course of history." The landmark nuclear deal between the US and India reached last week during George Bush's visit to Delhi is another step in that direction.

The comparison between the actions of the US noted above, with European discontentment over Mittal Steel's bid is quite interesting. It is hard to dispel the notion that some of the statements opposing the bid from the French finance ministry are founded not purely on economic criteria but are driven by a resistance to the idea of a European conglomerate falling into foreign ownership. While the US is keen to demonstrate a forward looking and pragmatic approach by strengthening ties with India, in contrast, by reverting obdurately to protectionist impulses, European countries are in danger of being left behind in a changing world.
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The Case of the Suspended Mayor

Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London was recently suspended from office for four weeks by a tribunal for likening a Jewish journalist to a Nazi concentration camp guard. Livingstone has, in turn, condemned the tribunal's decision as an undemocratic one. The mayor is aggrieved that a tribunal comprised of unelected members should purport to suspend him, thereby in his view, overturning the will of the majority of Londoner's that voted him into office. I find the mayor's reasoning difficult to purchase. Politicians often rail at the unelected status of judges, especially when decisions go against them. However, the unelected status of the judiciary also represents a valuable tool in safeguarding the impartiality of the adjudication process, ensuring that judges are not susceptible to populist impulses in their decision-making, unlike politicians. It is worth noting though, that the mayor has filed an appeal before the High Court, the outcome of which is keenly awaited
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Lethal Weapon
I spotted the following alarming item in a newspaper last week: Bruichladdich, a distillery in western Scotland is to produce a single malt based on a 17th century recipe with an alcoholic content of at least 92%, making it more than twice as strong as most whiskies and stronger than absinthe. The worrying thing about this is not that the distillery is going to produce such a lethal concoction but that it must have concluded that there is a steady market of souls out there willing to gulp this stuff.

(Rishabh Bhandari is a lawyer at a global law firm in London. These are his personal views.)



first published:March 06, 2006, 12:51 ISTlast updated:March 06, 2006, 12:51 IST
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