Councils Unprepared

Whatever one thinks of immigration, you cannot deny that the flow into the UK over the last few years has been unprecedented. Now it seems that local as well as national public services are straining at the seams.

Many local councils are struggling to cope with the flood of workers from EU accession states such as Poland and Lithuania.

Another example of Tony Blair's joined up government no doubt. Though with these numbers, you can see why we are struggling.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions quoted in the report show that 662,000 foreign nationals gained a national insurance number for the first time in 2005/06.

There is no doubt that this massive flow of labour has papered over many of the cracks in Gordon's economic edifice. It has also benefited those who have come here, and the unemployed in the countries they came from. The rest of us? I am not so sure.

Smoking is an EU Problem

I could make posts like this every day. Some people think smoking should be restricted, others don't, but that is irrelevant here. Is Smoking an EU issue?

Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said he wanted to turn the entire EU into a smoke-free zone by 2009.

How is this issue even remotely an EU competency. It is something that can easily be argued over at local level, and has no place being discussed at EU level. As I have argued before, when you have so many commissioners, include those (like the health commissioner) whose area of responsibility is almost completely held by national governments, it is no surprise when they try to keep themselves busy. Thus we have streams of directives, concerning things that by any rational assessment are none of Brussels business.

The People are Wrong

Democracy is a wonderful thing. Governments are chosen by us, and then do their own thing for a few years until we chose them again or throw them out. The public is denied their wishes in areas like capital punishment, that the elite don't like, yet are used as an excuse to bring in bad legislation, with the simple phrase, its the will of the people.

Nowhere is this two faced behaviour more evident than over the issue of the EU. Whilst the majority may not wish to leave (yet), it is clear that most Brits think we have already gone too far, a fact that has not impeded further integration.

Now, 7 years on from the introduction of the Euro, those unlucky citizens of the countries that murdered their old currencies, are deeply unhappy.

Two thirds of Germans now prefer the Deutschmark to the euro and more than half believe that the European single currency has damaged their country's economy.

To which there can only be one response:

But the European Commission insists that ordinary people are simply failing to grasp the benefits of the single currency.

So they screw up and blame it on us Serfs. Why not just dissolve the people and choose another one?

EU-wide anti-racism law

The news that Germany was trying to force its lack of free speech over Holocaust denial, was apparently in the context of an EU-wide anti-racism law. Whilst they have given up on the idea of an EU wide Swastika ban, the rest of it goes on.

Germany's new draft suggests that incitement to racism and xenophobia would be punishable by at least one to three years of jail in all 27 EU states, while leaving to each state to decide on the specifics.

Two questions.

1. In what way is racism an EU problem
2. In a liberal democracy, how can it be illegal to incite someone to think something (as opposed to incite them to do something)

There is nowhere that the EU will not go. Subsidiarity is a word that has no meaning in Brussels.

European Union (Information, etc.) Bill

So we have another glorification of serfdom law:

A Bill To

make provision for information to be made available in various public places relating to the activities and organisation of the European Union; to make provision for the flying of the flag of the European Union on various public buildings; to provide information to further the establishment of twinning arrangements between towns in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the European Union in accordance with the European Union’s town twinning support scheme; and for connected purposes.

One of the aims of the bill is to force public buildings to fly the EU flag. Another is:

Information and statistics relating to the European Union shall be provided free of charge on the internet.

I have been doing that for a couple of years, with any need for legislation.

Eco Union

Milibland has found a new way to try and sell the EU.

David Miliband, the environment secretary, begins the eco-charm offensive at a Brussels renewable energy conference today as the European Union gears up for a climate change summit in March. "The European Union must become the Environmental Union," he writes in the February edition of the EU's E!Sharp magazine.

He is trying to use the latest climate change fashion to help the EU cause. The problem is, that the EU is not good for the environment, which is something we need to use as a counter argument. CAP has caused the death of millions of birds, incentivised over use of chemicals and generally damaged our countryside. CFP has denuded the sea of life, such that stocks may never recover. The European Parliament itself, moves back and forward between Brussels & Strasbourg, uselessly wasting energy in the process. In short, the EU has a terrible track record.

If emissions trading is you thing, then EU or no EU, a continent wide trading system is possible. If fact, as part of the EU, projects like this, are hostage to fortune, as members use them as bargaining chips, so as to win something elsewhere. As a stand alone project, that would not be possible.

If you believe in energy taxes as the way forward, then EU actions threaten our fiscal independence, even more so than currently. Regulations? All sentient beings are aware that regulations are the worst way forward, and EU wide ones the extreme. Unforeseen consequences cannot be tackled, as changes require unanimity, so bad regulations never die.

Mr Miliband is convinced that the fight against climate change will provide new legitimacy and a sense of purpose for the EU.

It could also, more logically provide a sense of purpose for a world government, but not even Mili is suggesting that. Funny how the EU project has been with us for so long, and the justification for its existence has changed so many times, one could almost think it is nothing more than a historical oddity, whose existence politicians are struggling to justify.

Don't Offer Electorate a Manifesto

He doesn't say that but thats the underlying message.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, foreign minister of Germany, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said senior French politicians should remain "flexible" on the constitution ahead of April's presidential elections.

Herr Steinmeier, doesn't seem to understand the way elections and democracy works. The French will expect to hear from the candidates what they plan to do, and will make their choice in the election based on that. I was under the impression that they had a similar system in Germany, but perhaps I am wrong.

The idea that a German politician, feels that he has the right to tell French Presidential candidates what they can or cannot put in their manifesto, illustrates what is wrong with the EU. They say that the EU stops Germany invading France. What they don't tell you is that Germany doesn't need to.

How Many Staff Does the EU Have?

We often hear from Europhiles, that the EU is not some massive bureaucracy, if fact it has less staff than Birmingham City Council (Though the question of whether the good people of Birmingham are getting a good deal is never raised). Things are not completely as they seem however, because not everyone agrees on the numbers.

1. EU Official Figures: 25,000
2. British Government Estimate: 37,000
3. Open Europe Estimate: 54,000

The 29,000 allegedly hidden employees are believed to be working in low-profile organizations such as the European Data Protection Supervisor, the Community Plant Variety Office and the European Personal Selection Agency.

So the EU has been using the Sir Humphrey approach to shrinking the size of the civil service, call them something else.

John Reid's Inspiration

Why split the home office? Could it be that its the European thing to do?

End of Subsidies Sweet for India

Mozambique is not the only poor country to gain from the changes to the EU sugar market (I didn't point out in the last post that the changes were forced by the WTO)

The government is mulling a biotech-based plan for breaking into the 4 million-tonne market for sugar that is getting vacated in the EU following withdrawal of subsidies to this segment.

Everyone gears up when new opportunities come along. The irony in India, is that they were part of the problem themselves.

The move is significant since the ban on sugar exports has been lifted recently.

Repeat after me,

• Free Trade is Fair Trade,
• Protectionism is Theft,
• A Politician that defends CAP, is responsible for poverty,
• The best way to stop the poor from drowning, is to take our foot off their neck.

African Sugar

Recent limited reforms to the EU's complicated sugar market, will make it easier for poor country producers to sell us sugar. Here is one example.

Tongaat-Hulett group to expand sugar production in Mozambique for the EU market.

Mozambique is a country of 20 million people, and a GDP per head of $1.500. It is one of Africa's relative success stories, with a rapidly growing economy. Investments like these are essential for it to continue on that trajectory. So why are these investments being made?

The Company will use this base to expand low cost sugar production at our two factories from 115 000 tons in 2005 to over 270 000 tons at the time when the EU markets open up to LDC sugar producers.

The impact of this on the economy is important.

The two expansions will have a positive socio-economic impact on the region with the creation of 6,638 and 2,145 (total 8,783) new jobs in Xinavane and Mafambisse (the two factories) respectively.

9,000 jobs from one company's investment is certainly not to be sneezed at. If we were to abandon or protectionist ways, stories like this would no longer be remarkable.

Italy needs to leave the Euro

Not my opinion, but that of a respected journal, Euromoney. In an article in the January edition, entitled Europe: Will Europe burst asunder?, they analyse the forces pulling Europe's economies apart. Important points include

1. Dividing the countries by current account surplus or deficits produces roughly equal size “half-Europe” economies in which the surplus countries’ current accounts are 5.5% of GDP and the deficit countries’ 3.3%.
2. Without French and Spanish (and UK) growth, the already feeble performance of the euroland economy would have been a disaster, and the German transition to competitive labour costs would have crumbled into deflation.
3. Financial imbalances reflect labour-cost and other divergences that threaten the integrity of EMU.
4. Spain’s output/worker has barely increased in the past decade.
5. The domestic boom was based on housing, borrow-and-spend and building. Housing affordability remains fine, as the euro’s “one size fits none” interest rates subsidize Spanish borrowers, but household debt has rocketed this decade from 60% of disposable income to 130%
6. Italy needs to leave the euro to have much of a chance. But how?

All in all, the situation across Europe is dire. The problem is that a single currency could work, only if certain conditions were applied. Among these, one of the most talked about is big transfers of money, something that they would love to force onto us. Economic flexibility is even more important however. Without a single labour force, productivity & unemployment cannot adjust. The harsh truth is that most of us are born, live, work and die in the same country. Moving across borders for work is not even considered. The Euro can therefore never really flourish.

The people who were willing to enter this Euro experiment, for their own glory, and for the pursuit of a nebulous goal of every closer union, have been shown up for the irresponsible louts they are. The lives of countless people, help to ransom, for the vanity of the elite.

Thanks to Steve for sending me the article.

Wrestling in Lederhosen

Sorry, I couldn't resist that. The Bavarian CSU is in for a leadership contest.

Edmund Stoiber, premier of Bavaria since 1993 and CSU party chairman since 1999, announced last week he would step down from his positions at the end of September.

Those with an interest in such things will remember that he failed to beat the cardboard cutout Schroeder in a previous election.

But as the party has tried to pick up the wreckage and move on, it has experienced several new crashes. Two politicians vying for the chairmanship have created two opposing camps, formed various alliances and created the conditions for a possible split in the sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union.

It seems that previous vacancies, had been filled in a manner more in keeping with the Mexican PRI than a democratic European party.

But the CSU has always considered party unity to rank above all else -- and the only way to win at the polls. Down-and-dirty internal party rumbling, like that often seen amongst the more fractious Social Democrats or members of the Left Party, has been anathema up to now to the Bavarian conservatives.

As an uncouth Anglo Saxon, I cannot help but think, that this political culture is one of the biggest problems within the EU. Why go into politics if you do not care enough about something to fight for it?

Punch and Judy politics may be out of favour with certain politicians in our fair isles as well at present. I for one however, believe that it is far superior to the alternative consensus politics we see in so much of Europe. Where politicians do deals, and the electorate gets shafted. I am therefore happy to see CSU politicians getting down and dirty, perhps it'll catch on.

Bloggers Petition

In a move designed to pre-empt any legislation, UK Daily Pundit has launched a petition.

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ensure that bloggers remain free to comment on government policy, ministerial decisions, political correctness, Islamic extremists, the weather and anything else that takes our fancy, without fear of censorship.

Go along and sign it.

EU Aid, With Strings

Somalia is one of the poorest most destitute countries on earth. The recent Ethiopian backed action, finally restored the internationally recognised government, and they are in need of cash. Perhaps they could get help from the EU? Perhaps not.

The Somali government has declared on Tuesday that it could not accept conditions that the European Union said it would help finance the Somali transitional government on the condition that it should reach out to the defeated Union of Islamists and other parties for peace and a unity government.

The EU is offering our cash, in exchange for the Somali government including Islamists in their number. God help us is all that needs to be said.

Online Sales, Legal Quagmire

Small companies that sell online, are in for a shock. New legislation is to make their lives a whole lot more difficult.

Under the proposals a UK firm selling its goods and services to consumers across the EU would no longer be secure in the knowledge that it is broadly governed by English law. Instead it would have to navigate a minefield of up to 27 different, often conflicting legal regimes - or, more likely, opt not to do business outside the UK.

Bang goes your chance of running your own online business, selling to consumers across Europe, unless you can afford a coterie of Lawyers.

Its funny, I thought the EU was supposed to make cross border trade easier.

Hat Tip, Bel

Serbs Choose Wrong Parties

Now I am not the kind of person to warm to The Serbian Radical Party, but I do find the slant of the reporting a little strange. On TV, they kept being referred to as Eurosceptic, which they no doubt are, but thats a little like using the term for the BNP. This man is the party's leader and he is on trial for war crimes.

EU reaction was unsurprising.

"The majority voted for forces that are democratic and pro-European," said Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief.

Which obviously begs the question of how a party can be both democratic and pro-EU. Also, the radical party may be a little extreme for your tastes, but they are not, to the best of my knowledge calling for a halt to the democratic process. All parties are anyway against Kosovo independence, not just the nationalists, an issue which is going to cause huge problems in the future.

Britain 'turns blind eye to faulty EU laws

This gets worse and worse.

The Government has admitted signing up to new EU laws even though they may be illegal under European treaties

Read that again. New EU laws, are illegal under existing European treaties, and yet our representatives don't care.

A leaked letter from Geoff Hoon, the Europe Minister, shows that the Government turns a blind eye in Brussels to possible illegality because it can be used as a trade-off in EU negotiations.

So all 24 other members are so dead keen on passing a new illegal law, that they are willing to trade it for something? Someone remind me what we got in return, because nothing springs to mind.

Geoff Hoon, a rabid Europhile, is obviously not a believer in the rule of law:

"If EC legislation were in the public interest and it was in Britain's longer term interests to vote in favour the Government will support the measure even where it had doubts about the legal base".

The law is the only thing that protects us from these bastards. When they ignore it, what are we serfs supposed to do? Take to the streets? Suddenly lampposts and pieces of rope seem attractive. Could we challenge these laws in the courts?

Oh and Hoon you traitorous slime ball, EU legislation is never in Britain's interest.

Mahatma Gordon

Blogger won't let me post images????? so I'll just link to this.

What Gordon Learned from Gandhi

ECJ: Friend of Terrorists

More great news in the war on terror.

The EU's second-highest court has ruled that the brother of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader, has the right to fight the group's position on the EU's terrorist list.

No doubt he will not have to pay the costs of the legal action either. We can have him wasting good weapons money on legal fees can we.

If the European Union wants to see the situation on Kurdish Rights improve in Turkey, it has to be seen to be tough on terror. The biggest stumbling block on this issue, is the Turkish public's view that Kurds = Terror, a view that is reinforced everytime something like this happens.

The PKK are a bunch of murdering bastards, that make the IRA look like pussies. They should not be seen as a legitimate voice of anything.

Kompetenz-Kompetenz

I was sent an article from Legal Week, by a reader. As I do not seem to have access to the original, and I hesitate to reproduce the whole thing for copyright reasons, I will just give you this little tit bit.

If conflicts of this nature were to arise (between national & EU law) , we have no clear rules for their resolution. On one view, the issue of Kompetenz-Kompetenz (the competence to decide on competences) may require the determination of what is within the scope of EC law to be decided by the ECJ rather than by the national court (see articles 230 and 234 of the treaty). If that is right it has the effect that — in terms of applying EC law — parliamentary sovereignty is a dead letter.

So the judges on the ECJ get to decide their own powers. Comforting isn't it.

Constitution 'key for EU success'

So says Angela.

Well I hope she is right, because we are still due a referendum, which by this logic, could screw the whole thing up.

Hindus Not Happy

Its not just me that is complaining about German attacks on free speech.

Hindus in Europe have joined forces against a German proposal to ban the display of the swastika across the European Union, a Hindu leader said.

The swastika is of course originally a Hindu symbol.

Another example of why freedom is better than statism. A ban directed toward one group, inevitably harms someone else.

Health Warning

If you are a reader of the Guardian, following a link from this article, then it is only fair of me to offer a warning. Reading this blog may be bad for your blood pressure.

The Euro & Mortgages

In order to pave the way for economic surrender, Gordon Brown has been a big supporter of fixed rate mortgages. From a House of Commons debate, Monday, 9 June 2003.

Because Britain has had a different system of housing finance—just 7 per cent. of mortgages in the UK are at long-term fixed rates—we are learning the lessons from other countries where, for example in America, they securitise long-term fixed rate mortgages, and an independent review is now examining the structure of mortgage finance including the case for, and how we can help the development of, the long-term fixed rate mortgage market in the UK.

Well, the best laid plans can go wrong.

Banks and building societies pulled many fixed-rate mortgage deals off the market yesterday, denying borrowers the chance to avoid the Bank of England's next increase in interest rates.

You see, Mr Brown, businesses will only play along, if they can make money. You plans to make the housing market more stable, will not work unless you make fundamental changes (planning consent).

I know that the chance of us joining the Euro is history anyway, but its still nice to see that Gordon's preparation for it is coming unstuck.

"We believe there are limits to freedom of expression"

No I don't, its what the German justice minister believes.

Yesterday, at a meeting in Dresden, Brigitte Zypries, the German justice minister, demanded that Holocaust denial and the sporting of Nazi symbols be criminalised across the EU.

There are two separate arguments I have with this.

1. The time when the German Ban on Nazi Symbols and Holocaust Denial had a practical use is long gone.
2. Why does every cretin in every country in Europe, try to force their own prejudices, idiocies and illogicalities on every other country in the EU?

Limiting free speech is a serious matter, and should only be done for very good reasons. Post War Germany's Ban on Nazi Symbols and Holocaust Denial, was needed as a temporary measure. That time is long gone however, and existing limits on free speech should be overturned, not extended.

PS. The laws on Holocaust denial are an incredibly dangerous precedent, as the cartoon crisis showed. They basically take away the right of individuals to make up their own minds about things. Instead, the purveyor of the truth is Parliament. How Stalinesque.

EU Money Spent Legally and Correctly

Well some of it is anyway.

After the most recent examination of accounts, the auditors have concluded that administration, which accounts for only seven per cent of the overall budget, was the sole area of spending for which good "supervisory and control systems" were in place, with few errors found.

So the the only part of the budget that is spent according to procedure, is the administration. Unfortunately, that is administering the cash that is being spent wrongly, so it is the least valuable part of the budget. The bit that we mere serfs might get a little piece of, is a complete mess.

The answer is undoubtedly to give the EU more powers. At least I am sure that someone will come out and say so.......

Democracy is in Danger

Ok so ignore me when I make statements like that, I am not important anyway. I mean, if it were true, wouldn't there be more important people making such comments?

Ever heard of Roman Herzog?

Democracy is in danger because of the direction in which the European Union is developing, a former German president, Roman Herzog, said yesterday.

He co authored a report with Lueder Gerken, director of the Centre for European Policy

Among their criticisms was that the German parliament was not involved in European Union legislation as required by the German constitution. They said the European Union was undergoing “creeping centralisation” and acquiring further powers, often without due justification.

Wow, I guess they must be little Englanders, or Xenophobes or something :) , at least that's what I am called when I make similar statements.

Did anyone see this mentioned in any of the British Press, because I haven't seen it. Are we so insular, that we don't give a stuff about serious criticisms of the EU raised by a former senior statesman of one of the most important members? Hat Tip to Colin, for pointing out this story in the comments.

Willing Slaves

I came across this press release, which explains brilliantly why the State gets ever bigger.

The European Chemical Industry Council, Cefic, welcomes important proposals of the European Commission energy package published with the aim of creating a more coherent energy policy for the 27 Member States. Cefic calls on the European Union to seize this opportunity to pursue a much better globally co-ordinated approach to climate policy beyond 2012. Cefic also proposes working with European industry sectors to ensure a realistic share of renewables and biofuels in the energy mix.

No doubt they have their reasons for wanting such a policy, perhaps as big users of energy, it will reduce their costs, or maybe the new technologies need expensive chemicals.

However, when we bear in mind that the Chemical Industry has been locked in a battle with the EU over REACH for the past few years, it makes you think. Here is an industry that has suffered at the hands of the EU, telling the EU to make another industry suffer, presumably for some personal gain.

It reminds me of the words of the recently departed Gerald Ford:

A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.

MEP Watch

In preparation for the upcoming Conservative MEP selection process, whenever that will be, there is a new site to help voters make their decisions.

Welcome to our newly launched campaign site. MEP WATCH is a party political campaign aimed at bringing further accountability and higher levels of democratic practice to the Conservative party’s European Parliamentary candidate selection process.

Its a very good project, and one that I can support wholeheartedly. Majority of Conservative Party members are at least mildly Eurosceptic, whilst most of the MEPs are quislings. Maybe this will help to right the balance.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices

One of the things that worries me about the EU, is that even a hardened Sceptic such as myself, is always learning of EU incursions into our lives, often things that are very old news indeed. Today I read This post on the "Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices".

The failure of people to grasp that the Consumer Price Index isn't just some nasty thing dreamed up by Gordon Brown, but is the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices which was forced on us from the EU.

This I should have known but didn't. The National Statistics Office describes it thus:

Harmonised indices of consumer prices (HICPs) are constructed in each Member State of the European Union for the purpose of international comparisons of consumer price inflation.

Remember, this is the inflation index that was recently shown to be so unrealistic, reflecting virtually nobody's experience of prices. If even I don't know facts like these, how can the public be expected to understand the scale of our abject surrender?

Same Old Story

The story of the EU is a constant repetition of the same themes. Today's news is no different.

Germany and France have dug in against plans to dismantle continental Europe's massive energy monopolies after the launch of controversial measures to shake-up gas and oil supplies and curb global warming.

Those in Britain who support the existence of the EU, especially those who are Conservatives, argue that the EU is necessary for economic reasons. Creating a single market in energy, would be something that would gain their support.

Those supporters on the left, would particularly like efforts to combat global warming.

Yet the founder members of the EU, France & Germany, almost inevitably resist those moves which most logically (If there is a logic) fall under the remit of the EU. This neatly illustrates what I was saying the other day. Our so called partners want completely different things from the EU than we do. Hence the idea that it can be reformed is just wishful thinking

Joseph Daul MEP elected Chairman of EPP

Just to make sure that awful Hans-Gert Poettering will actually be missed, the EPP has gone a step further and elected Joseph Daul as Chairman. Daul is a French Farmer and comes with all the baggage that it entails. He entered politics through Farmers Union activities. He is also, the Chairman of the European Parliament's agriculture committee, something which poses no conflicts of interest, I am sure.

To understand better who he is, I have copied in full, an interview he gave on becoming chairman:

1. Is your election as Chairman of the EPP-ED Group just a change of face or is it a change in political direction?

The re-election of the Group's presidency has two complementary aspects: the choice of women and men who will assume the responsibilities of directing and embodying the Group and the policies it will implement. I am delighted that the fruitful debate which preceded this election was done in a fashion which characterises our political family - the respect for dignity and the courage of our convictions. As Chairman of the EPP-ED Group, I will continue in the spirit of our policies which met great success under my predecessor Hans-Gert Poettering, to whom I pay tribute, and I will also propose some new directions which will allow us to rise to new challenges.

2. What are the priorities for your Group for the second legislature?

To further influence European policy in the major legislative and political areas, but also to allow Europe to decide in a more efficient way. Europe's challenges in a globalised world are numerous: security, employment, competitiveness and solidarity, energy, food safety, the environment and global warming, all place Europe at the forefront. Our political family must make itself heard on all these subjects and use all its resources to implement its proposals. To better respond to these challenges and to allow the 27 EU Member States to work well together, the EU must very quickly find a solution to the institutional problem. It goes without saying that these two priorities go hand in hand.

3. How do you envisage the European Parliament's role in the quest for finding solutions to the Union's institutional problems?

Under the presidency of Hans-Gert Poettering, our Group and the EPP Party worked hard to give as much power to the European Parliament as the Council of Ministers. This is only right if we wish that the citizens of Europe who elect the European Parliament are heard in the European decision-making process. Henceforth, the European Parliament co-decides with the Council with legislative impetus from the Commission. The European Parliament for its part has the means and the will - I'd say the maturity - and the necessary policies to be at the top of the game. Our Group's wish is that national parliaments also fully play their role in European affairs, which have more often than not become national issues. The draft Constitutional Treaty touched on promising areas which we should go back to and develop. The parliamentary aspect is unavoidable if we want our citizens to get interested in European affairs. This will be one of my biggest priorities during my presidency.

4. The EPP-ED Group is in a leading position in the European Parliament. Do you believe that it's possible to keep this position in the future?

For the second consecutive mandate, the Group of the European People's Party (Christian-Democrats) and European Democrats is the biggest political force in the European Parliament. It is also the only group which comprises Members from all 27 EU Member States. This is testimony to the work the Group has dedicated to European reunification. This dominance is not only numeric: in all the important votes (REACH, the Services Directive etc), our Group confirmed its positions without sectarianism but without being complex either. We have become essential on the European political scene because the citizens of Europe want it this way. As long as they put their confidence in us, we shall do everything to earn it.

5. As communication is an essential element of democratic politics, do you have plans to better communicate with European citizens?

There are too many citizens who underestimate the power of European political families. Our Group, with the European People's Party, intends to change this. The major challenges of our countries have become European, even international: consequently, the way in which policies are formed must be revolutionised. The EPP-ED Group's policy on information and communication will therefore be adapted in the near future to contribute to this cause. The citizens of our countries must know what they are voting for and must be able to count on a style of policy which works in coordination and on a European level with the big players of the future. Better communication is the basis of democracy.

So he wants everything to be decided at European level, he is a believer in the constitution and worst of all, he is a strong supporter of CAP. As I have said on many occasions before, There is No Place for Conservatives in the EPP.

Whistling in the Wind, Czech Style

Its not just us difficult Brits that worry about EU overreach.

Asked about Czech President Vaclav Klaus´s sceptical position on the adoption of the euro and the European constitution Schwarzenberg (candidate for Czech foreign minister) admitted that the EU suffers from a large extent of regulation and bureaucracy.

What do we need instead?

There should be a clear definition of what should be decided on the EU level and what should be regulated on the national or regional levels.

Don't we all, but don't hold your breath.

Celebrating Babel

Another alternative Slogo, for the 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Slogo by Anoneumouse

Knuckle Draggers Join Forces

I guess this gives the BNP something to aim for:

Far-right members of the European Parliament are preparing to join forces and form their own political group.

Until the first of January, this wasn't possible, but now....

They had lacked the necessary 19 MEPs from five countries - but that changed when Bulgaria and Romania joined. Romania has five far-right MEPs and Bulgaria has one.

Look for a change in the rules, as they try to stop this from happening. Just a thought. If these people are referred to as the Far Right, why are these not referred to as the Far Left?

The Teuro Comes to Slovenia

In Germany, the Euro become known as the Teuro, (which apparently means expensive), when the country gave up its mark. Slovenia is now learning that this is a universal problem.

"We've had a lot more complaints since 1 January," said Breda Kutin, head of the Slovenian Consumers' Association.

As elsewhere, there has been lots of rounding up.

Most complaints concerned prices in the service sector, such as cafes, hairdressers and car parks.

It would be remiss of me not to point out that the Euro is not necessarily directly responsible. But I cannot refrain from also reminding you that the Euro was supposed to increase competition.......

Don't Lend a CD, Its Illegal

Well its not right now, but that's what some of our representatives would like.

Two powerful members of the EU Parliament are working to change EU copyright laws in such a way that practically any infringement of a copyright, no matter how small, could be punishable by exceedingly steep fines.

Currently only commercial copyright infringement is punishable by criminal law, personal copyright infringement is subject to civil law. This effectively means that individuals are protected from trigger happy copyright owners, whilst truly damaging behaviour faces the full weight of the law. Now these people want to change that, for reasons that are obvious once you read this:

Janelly Fourtou (one of the sponsors of such a change) is married to the former Vivendi CEO Jean-René Fourtou.

This neatly illustrates why all systems of government need checks and balances, to stop power being abused. The EU is effectively without any of these, which makes it the worst possible form of government.

This is an EU Problem?

Whilst I obviously disagree with the whole idea of the EU, I do understand the arguments for some things to be handled at a multinational level. The weird thing about the EU however, is this argument is used regularly, and yet when it comes to policies, they nearly all concern things that are very obviously not in this category.

Take this for example

EU countries might in the future adopted a joint course in fighting against domestic violence as experts from 16 countries will meet in Prague next week to prepare a European directive according to which they will deal with the problem.

Could someone versed in the logic of the EU please tell me what it is about the issue of domestic violence that makes it an EU problem? It's as local a problem as you could wish for.

Welcome to The Club

I know that the people of Bulgaria and Romania have been waiting for this, so for their sake, welcome to the club. I am sure that the contributions of the German, Dutch and UK taxpayers will be gratefully received, especially by the corrupt elites. I know that the economies of both countries are doing well, property extremely well, due to the accession. I am sure that many of you will be already on your way to work across Europe, whatever that nasty Mr Reid has to say.

If any of you should happen across this post, I have visited both countries, and I am not ignorant of the problems that you face. I am sure however, that you will wake up one day and wonder where your country has gone to.

Why the EU is Unreformable

Recently I have read articles by Conservative bloggers in favour of reform of the EU. (One good Example) In as much as there is any kind of official Conservative view on Europe, it is that we should try to reform it into something much more to our liking. Many others share a similar view, Open Europe, for example is a think tank devoted to this idea.

The argument generally goes something like this:

Since 2004, and the redrawing of the EU map, the UK has been joined by new potential partners, whose view of what the EU should be is dramatically different to that of Old Europe. By combining forces with these nations, we can push for a completely different type of EU, more free trade and less politics.

In 2005, for the first time ever, a major EU integration project was derailed by voters. As France and The Netherlands said no to the constitution, many commentators claimed that we had reached an inflexion point, that the EU would never be the same again. We now had a glorious opportunity for change.

With the selection of Barroso as the President of the European Commission, we have at the helm a man who many believe to be far more trade oriented than previous incumbents. In fact few would argue that he is a massive improvement on previous leaders such as Prodi, Santer and most of all Delors.

So faced with all these positive developments, the Better Off Out brigade are looking to leave just as the party is about to get going.

This approach is very beguiling, but it is nevertheless an extremely dangerous one, because it fails to recognise the fundamental realities of the EU. It is for the following reasons that we can never hope to reform the Brussels Behemoth.

1) The EU’s reason for existence is political.

Whether we like it or not, the EU’s founders deliberately set up a political project, of which financial and economic issues were just a part of the overall whole. Those working at the heart of the project are driven by this vision. Take it away and the very reason for the EU’s existence ceases to exist. As it is political aspects that most Brits dislike (hence the constant lies from our politicians about it being all about economics) we are faced with an immovable object. Why should the other side ever give up their reason to start the club in the first place?

2) An entrenched Bureaucracy Will Defend its Position

The sight of Conservative MEPs going native is a particularly painful one for Eurosceptic Conservatives. However, with vast amounts of our cash available to buy the loyalties of those involved in the whole project, the prospects for MEPs not going native are poor. As this group is in the best position to keep us informed, this is a serious impediment to reform.

Our new allies to the East are subject to a similar monetary pressure. Using our hard earned cash, the EU is bribing them to stay on side. After all what Polish politician would really wish to put billions of Euros of free cash at risk. The fact that like all free money, this cash is not really that beneficial to the recipient, is not a factor that would sway a politician who has the chance to spend it.

3) Resistance to the EU is often from the Left

Whilst allying with Stalin to defeat Hitler was a pragmatic necessity, the aftermath was half a century of tyranny across half of Europe. So whilst we can vote, campaign and generally work together with other sceptics, those found in much of Europe are actually protectionists. Their vision for the EU is in many cases even worse than the current reality. They would in many cases reject our vision for a free trading EU more fiercely than they do the current setup.

Therefore creating a coherent front against EU encroachment is next to impossible. It enables the other side to divide and rule.

4) Justifying Their Positions

The many people who work for the EU, from the commissioners down (and don’t forget that we have far too many commissioners) need to constantly justify their positions. This involves inevitably the production of more rules and regulations.

If the whole juggernaut were to stop, there would be thousands of people, both in Brussels and in the member states whose meaning of life would be taken away. This includes all the lobbyists and hangers on, as well as the eurocrats themselves.

5) Unstoppable Momentum

When the French and the Dutch made rude noises at their betters over the EU constitution, we enemies of Brussels got a little thrill at the thought of the juggernaut coming to a halt. The reality has been however that as much as Mr Blair likes to pretend that the treaty is dead, much of it is being introduced piece meal

As much as the reformist claim otherwise, every day, the creation of the new legislation takes us ever further away from the stated goal of reform.

6) Irreconcilable Differences

Viewed from the prism of free market oriented Anglo Saxon philosophy, the EU is little short of ridiculous. Rules have to be made which describe in detail every little thing that we are allowed to buy, every transaction is subject to the permission of our rulers. The metric martyrs were a tragic example of rules overrides common sense.

Unfortunately whilst we delight (or at least used to) in a legal system that allows everything that is not banned, our friends across the channel for the most part are disallowed that which is not specifically permitted. This simple fact lies at the heart of everything that is pathetic and useless about the EU. Our system, had we preserved it needs far less rules than Napoleon’s alternative. To us, the idea that in order to trade, we need to harmonise everything is a self evident stupidity. To the French, its just self evident.

So like a Protestant living in a Catholic monastery, we are completely incompatible with the culture and rules around us, and more importantly, our chance of changing anything is zero.