At the Helsinki Summit last year, a 65,000-strong European defence corps was created: a European army that is to be "autonomous", subject to majority voting and which will have an international and not merely a European ambit. Speaking well before Helsinki, in March 1998, Tony Blair issued an unequivocal pledge on which he has now reneged. "Britain", said the Prime Minister, "will never put at risk NATO, the foundation of our security. Britain, France and many others insist that there is no European Commission role in military matters. No country will ever yield up control of their own armed forces."