England's Solution to the Lisbon Treaty

The Czech President signed the Lisbon Treaty this afternoon. Britain is now governed from Europe and our political representatives are now purely figureheads with the power of parish councillors. (Haven't I heard that said of the Scottish Parliament?)

EU Referendum has also recorded the event. Me? I'm so sad to see the consolidation of a European Superstate when so many generations have fought and died for Britain to make its own laws, have its own powerful governments and care for its people.

There is a solution for the conservatives though. David Cameron, should he become Prime Minister, could immediately grant Scotland a referendum and ensure the tories campaigned in the YES camp. Scotland would gain independence and that would leave England requiring to reapply for membership of the EU and therefore in a position to negotiate terms.

Perhaps Scotland would do the same. Just a thought - I can but dream.

Graphic courtesy of Muffled Vociferation

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The EU is Watching You and They Intend to Watch You Even More

Most of us have not read the Lisbon Treaty so we've only heard, from those who are informed, it marks a significant shift of power from national governments to the EU in the field of justice and home affairs. It will lead to an increase in the volume and scope of EU legislation, which is already having a profound impact on EU citizens' civil liberties and privacy.

As well as measures on asylum and immigration policy, EU ministers and the European Commission are currently negotiating a raft of controversial new proposals, which are set to radically increase the EU's role in policing, criminal and security matters. EU leaders hope to reach formal agreement on many controversial new initiatives by the end of the year.

They include: a target to train a third of all police officers across the EU in a 'common culture' of policing; the mass collection and sharing of personal data including DNA records into an EU-wide database; controversial surveillance techniques including 'cyber patrols'; the creation of a fledgling 'EU Home Office' with powers to decide on cooperation on police, border, immigration and criminal justice issues; an EU 'master plan' on information exchange; the transfer of criminal proceedings among EU member states; a three-fold increase in the number of controversial EU arrest warrants; access to other member states' national tax databases; and EU laws on citizen' right to internet access, among other things.

The present Swedish EU President doesn't think the plans go far enough and calls them "too modest".

Rather than type this paragraph I shall quote it directly from the article:

The UK Government’s claim that under Lisbon the UK will maintain independence and can ‘pick and choose’ which justice and home affairs policies it opts into is a smokescreen. In practice, the UK has often been a key driver of policy, and has in some instances even exported domestic initiatives to the rest of the EU, particularly those that increase the power of the state over the individual. The most prominent examples of where the UK has pushed the agenda include the Data Retention Directive, the use of Passenger Name Records collected by travel companies and the European Arrest Warrant.

This method of ‘exporting’ UK initiatives to the EU is akin to policy making via the back door, circumventing adequate democratic controls.

Why are we still going to elect 646 MPs to Westminster next year when their remit has changed radically with this Treaty? Shouldn't we be calling for MPs to have an amended job description? Shouldn't they be subject to a work assessment in the same manner as anyone in a similar situation in the private sector?

The whole article is certainly worthy of a few minutes of your time - in particular the Measures Already Agreed or in Force.

Source: Open Europe

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Europe and the SNP

I've been unable to see much of the SNP conference in Inverness, but I've kept up with the goings-on as much as possible.

Yesterday Angus MacLeod reported in the Sunday Times that a split had emerged at the top of the SNP over whether there should be a referendum on an independent Scotland joining the euro. At long last I thought - a political party which debates matters. Having watched some of the unionist parties conference broadcasts, it was tedious, wearisome and most of the time downright uninteresting.

Will has attended the conference and denies there was any argument. What a shame, because I think the SNP policy of insisting on becoming a full member of the EU once we are independent should be revisited. Too much has happened since the last referendum on the Common Market and we are falling into being part of a vastly bureaucratic European superstate.

I would prefer if we examined, for example, the Norwegian and Swiss positions regarding Europe, as the present EU is a far cry from what we were originally sold by our politicians.

Since the SNP has voted, very sensibly, for a referendum on joining the Euro, perhaps the debate will widen during the referendum campaigning. I can but hope can't I?

To start the ball rolling the following, sent to me by one of my readers, is a comment from Fraser Nelson's blog (I admit as yet I've not read the Lisbon Treaty so at present I can't give a response to it):

drakes drum

October 18th, 2009 1:24pmReport this comment

Rob C. I read with interest your contributions. You are obviously an intelligent man so I pose to you this.

Cameron has won the general election. Unfortunately the Lisbon Treaty has been ratified as the Czech President signed the documentation some months before the general election.

Cameron, during the campaign promised that he would re-negotiate certain parts of the treaty and people believed him.

At the first meeting of the Heads of Government which is presided by the new President of the European Union, Anthony Blair, Cameron is told in no uncertain terms that he cannot re-negotiate anything.

He is reminded that all former nations are now citizens of the United States of Europe and if Cameron continues to cause problems he will be refused permission to attend any future 'Heads of Local Administrations' meetings (as the new body has been re-named!) President Blair may call. He will also be told he will not have a seat in President Blair's Cabinet.

He is reminded that the EU has the authority, signed by Her Majesty the Queen after Prime Minister Brown had signed the Treaty, to force a local general election in the former United Kingdom to be held, and because of their opposition to the EU the Conservative Party, Ukip, BNP, are all banned from standing in that election!

Far fetched? read the EU Constitution as allegedly ammended by the Lisbon Treay!!

I believe that you, Rob C, like so many people have been conned by Cameron and both Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties.

Once the Czech's sign then our fate is sealed and nothing can be changed! End of story. End of England.

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Eire - Reasons to Vote NO

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Dan Hannan's Message to the People of Ireland

Thanks to Lord Elvis

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Vote No to Lisbon Launch

Courtesy of ScunnertNation

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Former PM of Malta Urges Irish to Say NO

Former Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, urges the Irish to say NO.

Courtesy of Red Rag

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For My Irish Friends

My thanks to ScunnertNation

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Ireland and the Lisbon Treaty

Courtesy of ScunnertNation

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Dirty Tricks in Ireland

Ireland votes again on the Lisbon Treaty in a few weeks time because they didn't vote the 'right' way the first time round.

The way the referendum rules have been manipulated is a scandal. Campaign groups have to stick to strict limits on donations while companies or individual can spend as much as they like promoting their opinion.

As Richard states 'Vested interests from Ireland an abroad can therefore spend millions attempting to influence how Irish people vote on 2 October'.

After yesterday announcement from Michael O'Leary that he intends to support the YES campaign by donating €500,000 for advertising and cheap airline seats, today the US multinational Intel took out a full page ad in the Irish Times to also promote the YES vote. According to Richard, Intel's move is designed to impress the EU commission as it is presently facing a fine of over €1 billion under EU anti-trust legislation.

Of course these 'tactics' are also used to intimidate the smaller NO campaign supporters. I would like to remind them that, at the last Scottish elections and for years before then, the MSM said the SNP would never achieve power in Scotland. The other 3 parties were all more substantially funded by their London-based parties and the SNP were the 'small' party. I agree Soutar's donation made a massive difference to their coffers, but it was the party faithful who continued to think positive and run a positive campaign. You know the result.

I would like to see a NO vote if only for the reason that David Cameron would then be forced to hold a referendum in the UK. Many people feel strongly about the EU and were promised a say in the Lisbon Treaty, only for our present PM to nip over and sign it late at night in the hope nobody would notice.

Another reason I support a NO vote is because I detest bullies.

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Nice Work If You Can Get It

Eighteen "phantom" MEPs will be elected on full pay and perks next month despite not being able to start work for up to two years due to Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Treaty.

The extra candidates will be chosen in the EU elections on 4 June despite the agreement, which increases the number of MEPs from 736 to 754, remaining unsigned.  Amid confusion over when and how they will take up their seats, the European Parliament has decided to give the MEPs only 'observer' status from next year.

The deal will mean they can draw full salaries and allowances at an annual cost of over £6m without any legislative duties to carry out.  The 18 MEPs, from 12 EU countries, including Britain's West Midlands region, will be paid more than £76.000 a year, with staff and office allowances worth £210,000.  They will also be entitled to tax-free allowances of £255 for every day of the limbo existence in Brussels and can claim back business class travel.

Ireland votes again on the Lisbon Treaty this autumn with the intention tat it can enter into force from Jan 2010 but an additional legal 'protocol' allowing the MEPs to assume full duties could take another two years.  Richard Corbett, the Labour MEP who guided the Lisbon Treaty through the European Parliament, defended the arrangement to make them 'observers'.  "This is straightforward and there is no need to make a fuss," he said. "They can do all the work of an MEP except taking part in votes.  This is a way of making a smooth transition and has been done before." 

What a blatant disregard of legislation or is this case non-legislation. No further MEPs should be elected until the Lisbon Treaty has been signed.  Why is it, in a democracy, we allow this type of arrangement? Is there nobody to police the decisions of the EU or are they all lacking in common sense ?  No guesses which party Britain's ghost MEP will represent.

Source:  The Telegraph

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