Hmmmm...

Black boots today - am in casual mode.

Now, I'm not sure how up to date you guys are with the press, but you may have heard about Mandy and his boss Barroso and their luxury holidays. Well, a motion was put forward at the opening of the most recent plenary session in strasbourg to put this debate on the agenda. The result, for a debate discussing transparency and openness in an organisation controlling the lives and money of millions? Only 28 people voted in favour, including only two Tories: Heaton-Harris and Helmer. I'm almost willing to forgive CHH for purchasing his ties at Tescos....

Nevertheless, they had a chance to prove if they were prepared to stand up and act accord to how they were elected when a motion of censure was established for MEPs to sign. To their credit, despite being threatened by their German president of the dripping-wet European Peoples Party, 6 Tories signed the motion requesting that the President of the Commission be required to acknowledge details of gifts and huge lumps of tax payers cash going to his buddies. But what happened to the rest of them? There are more than 6 Tory MEPs in this concrete dump, surely they could represent their electorate and vote for finding out what is happening to their money? Or maybe they'd just rather keep quiet and make sure they get a nice position high on the list for next time round. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that after Barroso and his family went on a EUR20,000 cruise their hosts received a regional grant from the EU for EUR 10.3m...

As for the rest of the Tories, they really are euroseptic rather than eurosceptic. The more I see of their behaviour in the Parliament, the more glad I am I left that backward organisation which only appears to be a home for spineless middle-managers and thick tubby blondes.

Not that I favour the sandal-wearing brigade or the champagne socialists any more than I do the Tories. It's just that at least they have the guts to stand up and say that they want to sell our country down the river.

ooh, I feel much better now I have that off my chest. I may even get on with something productive, like drinking a beer in the sunshine with my Swedish colleagues.