Why do we take it lying down while French take to the streets?

IT takes a hell of a spectacle to put Lady Gaga in the shade but the eccentric pop star was no match for French bravura this week.

She was forced to cancel her scheduled Monster Ball concerts in Paris today and yesterday because not even her elaborate entourage could guarantee her convoy of trucks would survive the various blockades, strikes, protests and fuel shortages causing mayhem across the country.

The French are up in arms over government plans to increase the retirement age by two years to 62 and the age of qualification for the full state pension to 67.