Of all the recent nonsense spoken about Europe one of the standout pieces was the assertion by our Prime Minister that credit for the lasting peace on the continent since the end of World War II lies with the European Union.

The European Union may well provide comfort to France, which by 1940, had, on three separate occasions since 1870, suffered the indignity and humiliation of seeing German troops marching happily on French boulevards. It undoubtedly provides comfort too to a reunified German nation coming to terms with its brutal and savage past.

But as for providing the peace and security enjoyed by us all over the last 70 years Cameron needs to look west rather than east since the only reason a devastated post-war Europe was able to resist the Soviet Union and avoid further conflict was the strength and presence of the USA.

Today is the 72nd anniversary of D Day (June 6^th 1944) the day when a huge force of Americans, aided by British and Canadian troops, began the invasion which, less than a year later, would bring peace to the continent and an end to Nazi tyranny. The cemeteries of Normandy bear witness to the sacrifice made by those men. Europe’s politicians would do well to not lose sight of that fact.