When Jean-Claude Juncker applied to become President of the European Commission, David Cameron was one of the few European leaders to oppose his bid to rule the largest civil service in the world. In hindsight, it is likely all the other EU leaders of the time probably wish they listened to him. Mr. Cameron was right to veto his application because almost two years later, this is the man who sowed the seeds for Brexit and destroyed the trading bloc at the same time.
The main reason why the former Conservative leader opposed his bid to become the European Commission's President is because he is an arch-federalist.
If there is one conviction the former prime minister should maintain, then it is this one. When Mr. Cameron tried to renegotiate Britain's EU membership, Mr. Juncker failed to compromise. Instead, he offered the former prime minister a botched deal that was rejected by the British electorate. He showed no flexibility.
The proposed deal was pathetic
In theory, if he could have managed to persuade other EU member states to offer the UK terms of membership that reflected the original Common Market, then the outcome of last year's referendum would have been different. Of course, that would have meant other countries would have demanded the same. Equally, the proposed deal was so pathetic that not even master salesman David Cameron could sell it to the British people.
Since the Brexit result, the European Commission's President has used it as an excuse to call for further European integration. He recently said that borders are the worst invention ever created by politicians, expressing his desire for a global government. This is something a federal Europe would mimic. Mr. Juncker even behaves like a world leader.
This year, he attended the G20 summit alongside Angela Merkel and Donald Trump.
There is no appetite in Europe for a federal government
He has failed to learn the lessons that Brexit should have taught him. It is clear that there is no appetite in Europe for a federal government and it would never work. It is a pipe-dream for arch Europhiles like Ken Clarke, who once said he cannot wait for the day when Westminster is a regional assembly in a federal Europe.
Europe is not America. There are no cultural, historical or linguistic differences between the different states united under the United States of America. On this continent, there are. A Europe ruled centrally from Brussels is not even a federal government. Germany and France would dominate the political structure of a united Europe as it does already. Pleas for a European army and an integrated Eurozone are two of the main reasons why Brits should be glad they are leaving this corrupt project.
Mr. Juncker will not be missed when he leaves, but given how far removed from reality most European politicians are, the European Commission would probably replace him with another arch-federalist.