Scrap the G7 and its summit – it is hopeless, divided and outdated | Larry Elliott

The G7 has for a long time lacked the unanimity and leadership to tackle its many problems, particularly cutting carbon emissions and Greece's unpayable debts

Angela Merkel and her guests will pose for the group photo and say all the right things at their press conferences. The richest nations in the world, they will say, have never been closer, never more united in their commitment to solving the pressing problems of today. Yes, it's that time of year again: the annual G7 summit.

The get-togethers started after the first oil shock in the 1970s but have long since ceased to matter. The G7 is a moribund institution and has been for the past decade. As an instrument of the internationalism it was set up to pursue, it is hopeless. It should be scrapped.

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