A Different Spin on Affirmative Action

That European Union jive becomes a new headache every day.

In a spectacularly undiplomatic outburst, (Polish PM Jaroslaw Kaczynski) said his country was losing out in today's European Union as a direct result of the millions of deaths that followed its invasion by Germany in 1939. "If Poland had not had to live through the years of 1939-45, Poland would be today looking at the demographics of a country of 66 million."

A proposed new system of sharing out votes rewards countries such as Germany with the biggest numbers - and Poland is angrily demanding more. Poland's population is 38 million - implying that Mr Kaczynski blames the Germans for the loss of 28 million people.

Hopefully this will all be worked out over pilsners.