There is a ritual in European politics that is stretching the patience of its citizens. International lenders push for a debt problem to be resolved. They are ignored. They withdraw loan facilities to the country they are worried about to provoke some action. Seconds before the country in question runs out of cash, Brussels – reluctantly backed by Berlin – runs to the rescue, ditching its hard line and emptying its purse in the process.

Like a mother and father accused of inconsistent parenting, Brussels is flip flopping in its treatment of countries that behave like children issuing one blackmail demand after another. Every time the German half of the relationship makes a speech about tough love, another adult in the family offers a helping hand. Last December a kindly uncle in the form of Mario Draghi, boss of the European Central Bank, stepped in. He reversed the policies of his predecessor by issuing hundreds of millions of euros to eurozone banks which invested in indebted states such as Spain, Italy and Portugal. It was nothing less than a back door handout.

Instead of being denied privileges and sent to bed early, the wayward children were being given another bowl of Smarties to chomp.

It's a farce that appears to have no end. The children know if they throw enough food and cushions around the room the parents fear a breakdown of the family.

Only consistency can win the day, which means showing more love now with some agreed rules to follow. Debts need to be cut for those countries we know have accumulated them to unsustainable levels. This move will benefit the naughtiest children, but that is necessary. And we have done it before and been rewarded with better behaviour.

Let us go back to the aftermath of the second world war and the way British people endured bread rationing to support starving Germans. If ever there was a naughty child it had been Germany, but the Americans and the British made a conscious decision to forgive because to punish was to repeat the mistakes of Versailles. The Allies handed over billions of pounds in cash and wrote off loans. The rules governing how Germany should get back on its feet were very basic, allowing Bonn to build a protectionist economy that dismayed the British and Americans who promoted free trade.

In the present crisis, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble says if the Greeks don't like the rules they can leave the family. He says this even though the rules are more akin to corporal punishment than being sent to their room without dinner.

Not only is it unfair, it won't work. The cost of making life so miserable for the Greeks that they leave is too high for the family, which will then turn its stupidly severe eye on other rule-breakers.

Which is why Brussels will, at the eleventh hour, always back down.