The Curse of Cromwell

Yesterday evening we went to a local dramatic society production of the musical "The Curse of Cromwell". It was a good production with some very good singers and held at a local Arts Centre.
One scene sounded somewhat familiar
King Charles I was complaining about Parliament, and whilst I can't remember the exact words, he took the view that it was Parliament's job to approve and collect the taxes that he required and that they now had the nerve to suggest that they should also decide how the money was to be spent!
My immediate reaction was to think of the recent parliamentary vote on the EU subscription, and I could almost imagine Cameron thinking exactly the same - your job is to approve the taxes, mine is to spend them and I can't possibly have Parliament telling me to cut what we spend on the EU.

Incidentally, there doesn't seem to be much in the media about yesterday's visit by Angela Merkel to Downing Street, other than the Telegraph claiming she was pleading with Cameron to keep Britain in the EU and the Mail indicating that she suggested that the UK would flounder on its own outside the EU. Clearly she, and probably the apparatchiks in Brussels, are getting worried - Good, it should strengthen Cameron's hand in the forthcoming negotiations, but personally I doubt if he will take advantage of the situation.