I WENT to Brussels last Thursday in the hope that the EU would be able to reach agreement on the draft constitution, preferably in a way which ensured that all the United Kingdom's "red lines" were satisfactorily dealt with.

In the event, the negotiations broke up -- not because of problems we had, but because of a disagreement between Poland-Spain on the one hand, and Germany-France on the other, about voting weights.

Sounds rather arcane, but is actually very important, because the EU, covering 25 member states with populations from 80 million (Germany) to under 400,000 (Malta) could not fairly vote simply on a show of hands of member states.

So a complicated formula which currently includes population and weighted votes has been drawn up -- and that, as part of a deal three years, give Spain and Poland 27 votes against 29 for France, Germany and the UK, even though the population difference is much greater.

However, my slight frustration with the lack of agreement was nicely offset by the EU Christmas present of getting back home much earlier than I or my wife had anticipated, and doing normal things, like going to the cinema on Saturday evening and to hear Handel's "Messiah" on Sunday evening.

I recommend the film we saw Love, Actually. I am told that the smarter newspapers have rather panned the film, on the grounds that it is too light and sentimental and does not leave you in emotional distress at the end of it. All true, which is why I liked it. After 10 weeks of EU negotiations and much else, it was exactly what I needed. The film is very, very funny in parts.

The title is based on the interesting (and accurate) observation that if you turn up at the long distance arrival hall of any international airport, and just watch the joy on the faces of those reunited, you can see that "love actually is all around".

But it is not soppy and there is one sub-plot which is really very poignant. It's also got a star-studded cast, with Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy playing an ageing rocker, and Hugh Grant in the improbable but entertaining role of a bachelor Prime Minister who, in the end, falls in love.

"The Messiah" was one of the best performances I've ever heard. Hearing it is also a journey in time for me. For seven years at school we performed it in the Parish Church each Christmas.

Starting at age 11, finishing at 18, meant that I have sung each of the four voices in the chorus, and always know what's coming next. But it's one of those great pieces of music, so rich in its words as well, that I never tire of it.

Aside from the fact that we failed to reach final agreement, the negotiations had proceeded in a pretty satisfactory manner from the UK's point of view. I'm not being funny and of course it's the case that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. But we were able to whittle down the outstanding questions for the UK; and in the final session Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi, who was President, said that there was a consensus for keeping the veto on areas like tax, social security and criminal law -- all "red lines" for the UK. When we resume these negotiations, who knows.

As it is Christmas Day next Thursday, this is my last column of the year. May I wish all LET readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.