WELL, well. A week ago I noted here what struck me as the utterly unjustified control by the EU of the TV rights to the English Premier League. Our own Government plays no part whatsoever.

But where this once would have provoked an outcry, it now raises scarcely an eyebrow. We take the EU's domination more or less for granted.

Or rather, we almost do. For - still on the Premiership - it seems the EU is contemplating what our Government fears will be seen as a step too far. According to reports, the EU has a new blueprint which would place Brussels virtually in charge of the Premiership. Rules would govern club ownership, and players' salaries would probably be capped.

Perhaps because most footy fans now either approve or accept the bloated sums at the top of the game (witness the Arsenal fans' joy on the club retaining Thierry Henry even at £100,000 a week), the Government is said to be "in meltdown'' at the proposals. They would focus and magnify anti-European feeling, which the Government is anxious to damp down.

Never mind that the EU now has a stranglehold on much of our national life. Let it exert real pressure on the top flight of our favourite sport and at last a hand is raised - how strongly we shall see - to fend it off.

Meanwhile, the mettle of a bevy of our top politicians has been tested by asking them whether they support England in the World Cup. Most have proved themselves wanting.

The group are Scottish Cabinet Ministers. John Reid, hard man Home Secretary, Lord Falconer, Lord Chancellor, Des Browne, Defence Secretary, and Tessa Jowell, Culture Secretary (not Scottish but raised in Aberdeen), all declined to answer. Ian McCartney, Foreign Office Minister and Douglas Alexander, Transport Secretary, gave a classic politician's reply: "I hope England do as well as they possibly can.'' Gutless, all six. None could bring themselves to say they back England. Perhaps they don't. And while Gordon Brown almost fell over backwards to say he did, the suspicion must be that his ambition to become Prime Minister has something to do with his over-effusive support.

Congratulations, then, to Alastair Darling, who gave the straight and proper answer: "I shall be supporting England and hope to see some matches on TV."

JUST had a new bathroom fitted. The toilet doesn't flush as efficiently as the one it replaced. "It's working properly," said the plumber. "Cisterns are smaller now, to save water." He believes the "cistern directive" stems from the EU. If so, it will pleased to learn we are saving water like billy-o - by often having to flush twice.

ON Britain's High Streets the traditional Sunday might now be just a memory. But back at home one feature survives, thank God. It is the Sunday-style TV news. Unlike on the other days, when the newsreaders (sorry, presenters) march around the studio, lights flash, and background music is increasingly played, the news is read plainly and clearly by someone sitting at a desk. Hallelujah. As was discovered during a BBC strike a year or two ago, this is what viewers prefer. But who gives a damn what we want?