On the left is Herman Van Rompuy the new President of the EU and the right, puckering up, is Baroness Ashton, Europe's first 'foreign secretary'.
Herman Van Rompuy is the Belgian prime minister who favours the introduction of EU-wide taxes and the abolition of national flags and anthems. He had been hot favourite to win the job since Tony Blair's bid crumbled in recent days.
Lady Ashton, who only eight years ago was head of Hertfordshire Health Authority, has never been elected in her life, yet she now holds one of the world's most powerful positions. She will also be in charge of thousands of staff and have the run of a grace-and-favour home in Brussels.
Lady Ashton helped steer the Lisbon Treaty, which has created her new job, through Parliament without a referendum as Labour leader in the House of Lords. Since then she has had an unimpressive spell as EU trade commissioner.
Mr Brown last night welcomed Lady Ashton's appointment as High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. The Prime Minister said she would also hold the vice-presidency of the European Commission.
"It gives Britain a powerful voice both within the council and the commission," he said. "It will ensure that Britain's voice is very loud and clear."
Lady Ashton will head up a 5,000 strong EU diplomatic service with 120 embassies around the globe and have a say in the allocation of the bloc's £6.5 billion foreign aid budget.
There we have it. It's all over including the shouting. Below you can see the satisfied looks from the main designers of the whole EU charade.
"Didn't we do well?"
Posts
24 comments:
I cannot figure out your hostility to the EU and in particular your objection to these two posts. In the first place M. Rompuy is not the President of the EU. There is no President of the EU. He will be President of the European Council, a body which meets three or four times a year. The European Council has always had a President, only he/she changes every six months. How appointing someone to do the same job for two and a half years becomes such an infringement on our liberties is beyond me. The other post is essentially an amalgamation of two existing posts, so again I cannot figure out the hostility.
Have you ever seen such a complete and utter set up in your whole life.
There is no way these 2 will EVER upset the Merkel\Sarkosy even dare I say it Brown motions.
(could not resist that wee joke there).
What was it said, a powerful EU voice was needed around the world,...........bwahahahahaha.
However that is not a very flattering picture.........I am being kind here
Flattering picture? They look as if they're going to indulge in some tonsil tennis no surprise with a name like Rumpy! I think my dyslexia is getting worse.
Alister
The word is "creep" no, not the noun but the verb as in mission.
That is how much we trust then, not one millimetre.
"It gives Britain a powerful voice both within the council and the commission," he said. "It will ensure that Britain's voice is very loud and clear."
Aye. Right.
Oh Subrosa, what a frightening way to start the day. I’m sure Lady Ashton is a lovely lady, but the image of her with those lips puckered is a little too much this early in the day. :)
Sorry Alister, but on this occasion I cannot agree with your approval of what is happening here.
I fear, that like Dr Frankenstein, we have created a (European) monster which at each step grows larger and less controllable.
I’m all for free European trade, in fact, I supported such in the 60’s and 70’s.
However, I am diametrically opposed to what we have now - a European body politic, a European parliament, a European legislature, a European judiciary, a European executive, a European civil service and now, under Lady Ashton, a European diplomatic service.
And if Van Rompuy has his way we can add a European exchequer to the above list.
A couple of inoffensive figureheads to mollify the dissenters while the machinery of oligarchic total control is put together in the back room.
wv = taser I'd like to.
People who can't see why we should be hostile to the EU clearly can't see what it does and how it ignores democratic decisions, undermines democracy, is corrupt to the core (15 years no accounts signed off) costs everyone in the UK £2000 a year, 76% of all UK regulation comes from Brussels and makes us uncompetitive in international markets. it's working time directives cost workers in the UK money and infringe on our civil rights.
And that's just the short list.
My hostility Alister? Lack of democracy.
At least we can still see the funny side of things even though it's only Brown motions LotF.
Awe you don't like my picture? I went to such a lot of trouble to find it too.
You don't like my picture either brownlie? Can you believe that woman is 10 years younger than me? No, neither can I.
Exactly Bug, I mean it's bad enough the behaviour of elected politicians isn't it.
Loud and clear and ignored Jim.
Sorry John, didn't mean to put you off your porridge.
Thank you for answering Alister far more eloquently than me.
I agree with you QM, I just can't understand how people can support it when even the short list sounds like a bloodless coup.
Stooges you mean scunnert, although they're going to be pretty powerful stooges. Scary.
Is this the EU's entry to rival the hidious spectacle of Jedward on the X-factor - Rumpy and Frumpy?
They are not my masters (or even mistresses). They are not elected so have no sovereignity.
The EU has taken a sharp right turn, away from the federal autobahn, towards more of an umbrella role.
I'm minded more of the NATO secretary-general role, also unelected, also reliant upon the co-operation of member nations. This pair will chair committees, go to meetings, and so on. It will possibly even make the functioning of the EU more straightforward....who knows.
But at least we don't have a Blair or a Miliband lording it over us, telling us we must fight the Russians with a Euro-army, for their sins against the poor Georgians, or something like that....
She'll be slobbering over whatever coq au vin comes her way about how great it is to be free of British politcs and the nasty, ungrateful Brits themselves. Two great PMs in a row and do they get any appreciation?
You missed out the fact this pair will possibly be able to sign some of the most important documents connected with the EU Jess.
Lady Ashton of course well be a figurehead but she could turn out to be more than a puppet. We'll have to wait and see.
I have to admit, I was quietly delighted to see Blair being edged out of the picture. Surely Germany and France aren't wakening to the fact that he's a warmonger and made Britain the US's best pal whilst ignoring Europe to a degree.
Clarinda, you do surprise me. Do you really watch the X factor? I've tried but only get to the first advert break.
You can take your tongue out of your cheek now Jim. ;)
Hi SR
I was going to comment on the picture, but all I can say is it should have an X cert. attached.
Talk about frightening the kids,
it frightened me...!!
D.
If it frightened you at this time of night Apogee, just as well you didn't see it while you were having your breakfast. :)
Post a Comment