Iceland moves closer to EU membership

The resounding victory for Iceland's left-wing coalition at the weekend has brought Icelandic EU membership much closer. The Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir has made it clear that her priority is to begin negotiations on EU accession, with the deal being decided by a referendum. Given that Iceland has access to single market, and has therefore adopted a large amount of the Community acquis, there is no reason why accession could not be concluded quickly.

It is truly an historic result in Iceland - the most novice MPs ever elected and the most women MPs in the country's history, and it also demonstrates how quickly things can change in politics. After all, it's less than a year ago that some British Eurosceptics were looking to Iceland as a country to emulate. Indeed, one increasingly prominent Conservative MEP, known for his unstinting Euroscepticism and commitment to privatising the NHS, proclaimed that:

"Being outside the EU, Iceland has been able to cut taxes and regulation, and to open up its economy. For 70 years the Althing has been dominated by the splendidly named Independence party, which has pursued the kind of Thatcherite agenda that is off limits to EU members... Icelanders understand that there is a connection between living in an independent state and living independently from the state. They have no more desire to submit to international than to national regulation. That attitude has made them the happiest, freest and wealthiest people on earth."

I'm sure Dan won't mind being reminded!