A Spy by Nature - Charles Cumming [26]
‘The question is an interesting one,’ he says, drawing us into his web of good-naturedness. ‘Is this a direct face-off between the United States of America and a United States of Europe? Do we as British citizens want to see ourselves that way, as part of a federal Europe? Or do we value our sovereignty too much, our prerogative to dictate terms to other European states and to the world at large?’
This is inch-perfect, not a fluffed line. He goes on.
‘I suggest that we see this problem in those terms. There are too many conflicting European interests to mount an effective British campaign. We must do it with the assistance of our European partners and present a united front to the Americans. We hold many of the cards. Our major problem is Germany, and that is what we have to address. Once they’re onside, the rest will follow.’
This is the smart move. He has set the foundations for the conversation, given it a clear starting point from which it can develop and assume some shape. To all intents and purposes Ogilvy has proposed to chair the discussion, and this aptitude for leadership will not go unnoticed.
Ann takes up the argument.
‘I don’t see why we have to present pan-European resistance to America as the civil servant in this document suggests.’
As she says this, she taps the printed sheet quite vigorously with the point of her middle finger. But she is not as good at this as Ogilvy is, and she knows it. Every contour of her body language betrays this to the rest of us, but some dark stubbornness in her, some Ulster obstinacy, will not allow her to back down. So she will wade in, deeper and deeper, pretending to know about things she barely understands, feigning a self-confidence which she does not possess.
‘To put it bluntly, this is France’s problem,’ she says, and her voice is now over-excited. ‘It’s a French nuclear reprocessing’ - her tongue trips on this last word several times - ‘plant that is leaking. I suggest that, perhaps with EU funding, you know, we conduct some definitive checks on the plant with American observers on site. On the site. If it proves to be clean, then there’s no reason why the Americans shouldn’t begin re-buying European fish. If it’s leaking, we demand that the French get it fixed. We then try to persuade the Americans to buy fish and shellfish from non-French, uncontaminated waters.’
‘So you’re suggesting we just abandon the French?’ I ask, just so that my voice is heard, just to make it look like I’m still taking part.
‘Yes,’ she says impatiently, hardly taking the time to look at me.
‘There’s a problem with that solution.’
Ogilvy says this with the calm bedside manner of a family GP.
‘What?’ says Ann, visibly unsettled.
‘The plant was built in 1978 with joint British, French and Dutch co-operation.’
This trips everyone up; nobody had recalled it from the printed sheet except Ogilvy, who is happy to let this fact make its way across the room to the impressed examiners.
‘Yes, I’d forgotten that,’ Ann admits, to her credit, but she must know that her chance has passed.
‘I still think Ann has a point,’ says a gallant Hobbit. He is surely too kind to be caught up in this. ‘The French facility needs to have a thorough check-up with American observers. If it’s leaking, we all have to put it right collectively and be completely open about that. But I suspect it’s fine and that these American claims are disingenuous.’
In the tight lightless classroom, this last word sounds laboured and pretentious. Ann’s face has flushed red and the hand in which she is holding her pen is shaking. Ogilvy inches forward.
‘Let’s look at it this way,’ he says. ‘We don’t know all the facts. What we do know is that the Americans are playing games. And in my view the best way to deal with a bully is to bully them back.’
‘What are you suggesting?’
‘I’m suggesting, Alec, that if the Americans are proposing to squeeze us, then we in turn should squeeze them.’
They’ll like this. We’re supposed to play hardball. We’re supposed to be capable of a trick