It's the lie which underpins the entire stalling of Brexit by the way. That the moment we leave the benign, guiding arms of Brussels we will start making teddy bears out of asbestos and forcing nine-year-olds to make running shoes instead of learning their times tables. The fact that most of our legislation exactly mirrors the EU's, apart from the bits like our employment laws, which are of course much stronger, is wilfully ignored by the EU's Brexit negotiating machine simply to turn the screws on Britain and extract a more punishing deal.
Today that particular piece of EU bulls**t has been called out spectacularly by wonderful Norway.
The good people of Oslo and the fjords, with a national population of five million, are so disgusted with the corrupt, self-serving morality of the EU they have taken direct action against the EU fascists and homophobes.
That's Norway remember – not even a member of the EU - holding the EU's ethical bankruptcy to account.
Brave, fabulous, Norway – a nation prepared to risk economic reprisals from Brussels rather than compromise its integrity and clear position on state totalitarianism in Hungary and rampant homophobia in Poland.
They of course risk an economic backlash from Brussels (and are clearly “breaking international law in a very specific way”) and this makes them to be even more thoroughly applauded.
But why are they important to Britain? And why today?
Because Mr Banier and his buddies have been using the EU's moral and ethical values as a stick to beat Britain with since the Brexit vote of 2016. The issue over the increasingly hated Withdrawal Agreement is basically Barnier saying “we have a higher moral code than you Brits and we don't trust you to adhere to it.”
It's insulting nonsense of course.
The EU cares about money and power.
It cares not one jot about morality.
The leaders of four groups in the European Parliament recently told politics website Politico “we must also remember that our values are not for sale.”
But they absolutely, demonstrably, are.
While Norway has taken direct action the EU has done nothing. Because Brussels taking to task two member states would threaten the unity of the EU project and thus threaten bloc's grip on power.
So while von der Leyen basically says “aren't our Polish and Hungarian boys naughty” the EU doles out uncountable riches from the €750Bn bailout fund.
No questions asked.
Norway has chosen the way of honour while the EU turns a blind eye to the racists, homophobes and fascists in its midst.
Don't want to get too Biblical here but “by their friends shall ye know them” seems apposite.
And, as the EU's mates seem to be homophobes and racists maybe it really is time we got ourselves some new pals.
Me? I want to be best buddies with Norway.