Elections and referendums become dangerously outmoded tools if they are not enriched with more sensible forms of citizens' participation.
This is an agenda largely driven by trade bureaucrats, not business, consumers and other real-world constituencies.It would be more sensible to crack down on forms of protectionism that are questionable under the rules that are already in force, perhaps selectively tightening them where needed.
On April 11th, however, a quieter and more sensible resolution was reached, with a form of words under which the protagonists could both declare victory and retreat.
A rebellion over an amended form of self-employment would be no more sensible than a war about which end of a boiled egg should be cracked open.
Not to beat about the bush: no sensible person objects even to far-reaching forms of co-operation and debate at European level, but more and more sensible people are wondering about certain manifestations of over-harmonization, excessive European interference in regional or national matters.
The world number five blamed a lack of competitive match action for his form at the World Championship and said he may play more "when the tour gets a bit more sensible".
It also encouraged the idea that Kelly might be the voice of a more sensible wing of the right, but it's not clear that there is any such thing, or not in any coherent form.
