An Ineffectual Woman

After reading Delphius' post last night I realised I thought much the same, although when she was talking on Sky, my mind was more on cooking.  David Cameron did speak on television later but, as Del asks, where was our Foreign Secretary?

It this a slow and deliberate takeover of our foreign policy by the EU or is it a desperate bid by Cathy Ashton to build up her media profile?  Or both?

The woman is disliked by her peers.  She says she intends to visit Egypt as soon as possible, but they don't want her.  Her recent article in the Guardian was rightly mocked.

Until the Egyptians ask for our advice we should leave them alone and allow the people to develop their own style of democracy. I wish them well.  It will be a long, grinding road.

 

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Saved By The Cost

Artist's impressed of carriers 

being built on the Clyde

Yesterday George Osborne ended the speculation that both of the aircraft carriers, presently being part-built by Clyde shipbuilders, will escape the budget cuts.  Good news for the west coast indeed as jobs will be saved for the near future.

However on Channel 4 News last night, William Hague made two astonishing comments.  Firstly, the decision to go ahead with the project was influenced by the fact that it would be far more expensive to cancel it.  The last labour government had tied up contracts to the extent that cancellation was impossible unless the government was prepared to lose many millions.

Secondly, the design doesn't allow for allied planes to land on the craft admitted William Hague.  Therefore US and French aircraft will be unable to utilise them and there will be no new fast jets for sometime after they come into service.

The aircraft carrier project has been on the cards since 2003 and yet we're still years away from a delivery date, although 2014 and 2016 have recently been suggested.  I know nothing about ship building but in the early 1900s it only took 3 years for Harland and Wolf, Belfast, to build the Titanic.  Ok, perhaps that's not a good example (I am watching the programme), but surely we can produce a warship in less than 13 years.

The Telegraph is reporting that, although the two carriers will enter service, one will be mothballed as soon as possible. Also said is that the first of the carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will come into service in2016 configured to carry helicopters, not jets. 'The second new carrier, HMS Prince of Wales,will arrive in 2019. At that point HMS Queen Elizabeth will be put into "extended readiness", effectively mothballed indefinitely'.  It could well be sold to another country in an attempt to recoup some of the building costs.

Alex Salmond led the protests to the Westminster government with regard to axing the carriers.  If he'd been told, before he put all that effort in, that they would cost far more to cancel than produce, I can imagine his saying, "Dinnae be daft."  Then again, he's an astute politician with a thorough knowledge of the workings of Westminster, so perhaps he have said, "That disnae surprise me".

It certainly shines some light on how badly this one project was managed by the last Labour government and how money was poured down the drain.  What else will come to light in the near future?

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Thank You Mr Haig, Thank You

Dear Mr Hague

I know you've been under intense pressure in the past 24 hours regarding your personal life but I would like to thank you for saving my sanity during that period. Your timing was perfect.

Yesterday a man published a book about himself and in the past week or so thought he'd spoken to everyone he surmised would be valuable to the success of his book launch. Yet you dominated the headlines. Excellent.

By yesterday evening you were still headlines and Channel 4 News' Labour leaders' debate drifted into oblivion (the only place for it). Again I thank you for saving me from the endless media analysis of the Not Famous Five.

Your sexuality doesn't interest me in the least but your capabilities as the country's Foreign Secretary do. In your position sharing a twin room with a male colleague was rather a silly thing to do, but people like me are forced to do it regularly, even with strangers. Only last year I was enrolled on a training course and arrived to find I was sharing a twin room with a total stranger - female of course. It could have spiced the weekend up a little if it had been some unknown male, but alas, I'll never know.

Now you've given your detailed response the matter should be laid to rest and you get on with the job which we pay you to do. Time to come up with some answers about the transfer of powers to the EU and to give us a vote on these. Time to clarify how the changes in the EU justice system will affect us. Lots of problems for you to resolve.

My sincere thanks once again.

Yours

Subrosa

PS May I suggest you buy a camper van for your personal use during campaigns? I know they're advertised as having room for two, but from experience the space is only enough for one plus a decent sized TV. Don't buy one if you're in the least claustrophobic.

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Say Hello to William Hague's New Boss

"I'm the first new type of ambassador for the European Union anywhere in the world," says Portuguese Joao Vale de Almeida. "I'm supposed to have a wider mandate than my predecessors. Out delegations now cover a wide spectrum of issues well beyond the economic dimension, trade dimension and regulatory dimension, to cover all policies in the union, including foreign and security policy."

Mr Vale de Almeida, if you don't know it already, is the EU's ambassador to the US and he's suggested that American officials should regard him as their first point of contact for transatlantic discussions.

He is the first EU ambassador to be appointed after the controversial Lisbon Treaty gave the EU sweeping new powers.

Does this reduce the status of William Hague now that a Portuguese intends to speak for the UK on foreign policy?

Not only does it reduce the status of William Hague, the EU is beginning to make Westminster look like a parish council.

The Earl of Dartmouth, a UK Independence Party MEP said the ambassador's comments were proof that the EU diplomatic service is usurping the powers of nation states.

"All the other parties have supported or accepted the domination of the EU through the Lisbon Treaty. And this is the result. The British Government will be left discussing how British actors are portrayed in Hollywood at best." He added: "Of course Britain will continue to pay for the privilege.

"This is only the start, as the existence of Britain's permanent seat on the UN Security Council is already in the EU sights".

Again we will have the propaganda from the coalition government. Martin Cole has written to Liam Fox and William Hague with his suggestions which made a great deal of sense, but I very much doubt if he'll receive a positive response.

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SMART THINKING from the TORIES

After PMQs today William Hague did this video analysis of his part then it was put up on YouTube to maximise the message.  Good idea and should be adopted by others.

Courtesy of PlayPolitic

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