Greek financial crisis

Mrs Duffy and PM on the street
This morning the Guardian, not noted for its coverage of financial matters, had the Greek financial crisis as its lead article. Also on the front page, but below, was the analysis of the Metropolitan Police report on the death of Blair Peach. As far as defending civil liberties goes the Guardian has an established track record, we are not being critical. So what do we make of it? The Blair Peach story is an example of how the authorities must not do things, the years of lying and cover up etc. However, the Greek financial crisis is an example of how the EU has failed.

The Guardian has a long standing reputation as being a staunch supporter of all things related to the EU. The crisis that has engulfed Greece is not a simple national one. The Guardian, devoted to the concept of a supra-national Europe, must now be thinking of the greater effect of the financial crisis. Even the most devoted EU supporters can see that the comments by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, that the Greek debt crisis is now spreading "like Ebola" , is not a snappy headline from a newspaper sub-editor but the truth.

And while this is going on we are being treated to pages of newsprint about Gordon Brown and his run in with Mrs Duffy. With due respect to her, I would suggest this is not the big story of the week.