'As undemocratic as North Korea': What Nick Clegg used to think of the EU as he condemned 'grubby deals' thrashed out in Brussels Nick Clegg was last night accused of hypocrisy for blocking moves to claw back powers from the EU -- while secretly agreeing that Brussels is as 'undemocratic as North Korea'. Mr Clegg once railed against the excessive power of the EU and condemned the 'grubby political deals' cut in the 'corridors and bars' of Brussels. And he described the European Council -- the EU's strategic body -- as 'one of only three legislatures in the world in which laws are adopted behind closed doors. The others are to be found in Havana [Cuba] and Pyongyang [North Korea]'. Secret sceptic: Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has been accused of hypocrisy over his views on the EU The revelation came as Foreign Secretary William Hague blamed Mr Clegg's party for stalling efforts to reform ties with Brussels and said Britain 'may get ahead' by operating at an increasing distance from the EU. Now The Mail on Sunday has unearthed a pamphlet written by the Liberal Democrat leader in which he admits the many failings of the EU. The paper, Doing Less To Do More: A New Focus For The EU, was written a decade ago for the Centre for European Reform, an obscure think-tank, and received only a restricted circulation. Mr Clegg, who was an MEP at the time, wrote: 'The accumulated burden of policies, competences, tasks and budgets