shouldn't the target be his head, not trade?

I am not feeling particularly happy with the decision by Tesco to stop sourcing products from Zimbabwe.

A spokesman said "We cannot continue to support them through trade, but are urgently finding ways to support them by other means."

Which to me is all wrong.

Given that in 2004, 89% of aid given to Zimbabwe via the EU and Britain and then distributed by the EU was finding its way into the coffers of ZANU PF, this "other means" they speak of may not be the best way of eradicating a violent, evil regime. It strikes me that stopping trade, which enables people and communities to bring themselves out of poverty is a good way of undermining Mugabe and that making poor people poorer only makes the situation worse. Moreover, it may lead them to believe that since the rest of the world won't help them, they should stick with Mugabe as if they just shut up and get on with it, he won't kill them or take away a source of income.

I don't understand why we let our government invade a country which was at that moment not causing us any particular threat and then permit them to lie when they said that they went to war over 'human rights' when Human Rights are, rightly or wrongly, found in chapter VI of the UN Convention and it is only under Chapter VII that you can go to war, legally according to international law. Yet when it comes to nothing less than a crisis of humanity, we just pontificate. Why, why doesn't someone just shoot Mugabe in the head? Rather like the fall of the Third Reich, when you take away the bullying figurehead the rest can't hold itself together for long. Then, so long as we don't let the Yanks have much to do with the reconstruction process, the main stop to development in the country would be removed and we can finally get around to doing something to help the people in that country.

Patronising? Moi?

Phone bills for troops in Afghanistan and Iraq will be slashed to help officers stay in touch with their loved ones, the Government said today.

Officers in war zones will now get 30 minutes of free calls to anywhere in the world.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "This funding boost will ensure that though our brave boys and girls may be far from home, they can always be in touch with their loved ones."

I presume that they don't just mean 'officers' but the journalist at PA was struggling to find another adjective, and what's this with the 'brave boys and girls'? They haven't managed to go to the loo all by themselves for the first time, they're out in a war zone risking their lives which is more than that pompous ass Des Browne is doing.

So, after 11 years of pretty shoddy treatment for the armed forces, now they get to ring home free for 30 minutes.

However, troops who are based outside of the UK and sent to Afghan or similar are flown back to their base and not home.

Troops from the Royal Welch Fusiliers based in Cyprus are given only £250 a year to pay for their flights back to the UK, despite a return fare costing at least £300 a time.

Yet despite the battalion being on on standby for short term deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq they are having to fund their own flights out of dwindling pay cheques.

The MoD provide free flights on RAF craft but soldiers rarely use them as they are infrequent and the men can be removed from the flight even after they have checked in.

The whole of the 1st battalion based in Cyprus has seen active service in Afghanistan, where it has been estimated that the risk of dying on the front line is a 1 in 36 chance. The troops are undertaking high intensity operations against Taliban forces on a daily basis and three of the force suffered severe injuries.

This question was raised with the Secretary of State for Defence by UKIP MP Bob Spink who asked,

the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are circumstances in which service personnel are required to pay (a) in part and (b) in entirety for an air ticket to return to the UK following the end of a tour of active service abroad.

Bob Ainsworth replied:

MOD fully funds the cost both of travel from and return to the UK for service personnel posted abroad on active duty (including on operations). In addition, personnel serving abroad are entitled to claim Get You Home (Overseas) which assists with the cost of one leave return journey to the UK per assignment year from their overseas duty station.

So basically, what the Armed Forces Minister is saying is that they don't fund service personnel to return to their families if they are based outside the UK apart from a token amount for one flight. That's nice of them.

No wonder the forces have problems with retention.

Mr E: is he really away?

It's his big chance, and he's away on holiday. Or is that just a cover up? The timing is something of a coincidence, surely, and she wouldn't have resigned without telling anyone.

The poor lass will need support, and who better than a man who proposed to her via the medium of the BBC comments section?

Equality my arse

Why does no one say it? I was listening to Radio 4's moneybox programme yesterday; which is an admission I didn't want to make but in my defence I was having a bath at the time and I couldn't be bothered to switch to 'trendy FM' or whatever it is people my age are supposed to listen to.

One of the issues addressed was that of the new racist and sexist government proposals, laughably called 'equality legislation' but which, and I say this as a young women who is supposed to need protecting by Harperson and her ilk, is nothing less than offensive and worse, is damaging for businesses and our business mentality.

Timmy has written an excellent piece on the issue of women and pay here, which hits the nail on the head.

But in particular what was being discussed on the radio was that of older people. They were talking about the problems with health insurance, car insurance and holiday insurance and why someone who was 87 wasn't allowed first time holiday insurance to go on his 'trip of a lifetime'. There were Public Affairs chiefs from Help the Aged, people from business, public sector broadcast presenters trying to be unbiased and yet no one would bloody say it.

Look, the reason that old people are undesirable for an insurer to take on is because there's a very great chance of them dying or breaking something. Like a hip.

Take motor insurance. That little guy in the pork pie hat who keeps his indicator on for 26 miles and then who suddenly stops by a grass verge to have a picnic without indicating isn't the safest driver in the world. The fact that he doesn't realise his glasses are still on his bedside table and that isn't really a nice little bunny by the side of the road but a three year old on a tricycle just adds to the fact that an insurance company will find themselves regularly paying out. In much the same way, the 17 year old with a baseball cap and a Nova who hasn't quite worked out that roundabouts may require stopping at and the purpose of driving is to get from A to B not to inform local residents what music you prefer to listen to is not going to be the most profitable for an insurance company and so they charge them more. But you're allowed to charge young people more, because they get away with talking about their 'youthful exuberance'. But no one has the guts to say that many people, past a certain age are to good, aware and sensible driving what the mangle is to the washing machine.

And why should you not charge huge amounts, or refuse insurance to the 112 year old who wants to go to the other side of the world? Chances are something exciting will happen and pop! Ambulances, drips and then funeral costs. It's as sensible as giving anyone on a piste near Dizzy insurance.

I even have bothered to collect data from the ONS, although in true Zanu-Labour style the first thing I could find was 'alcohol related deaths'.


(yes, the tail off at the end is because there are fewer over 85 year olds because most of them have died so that's not a reason for cheaper insurance.)

It's quite clear, and since insurance is provided by private companies they should be able to use data like this and go, 'no thanks' to anyone they don't wish to insure. Or employ, actually.

I can't help but think this legislation was drafted by 'No Win, No Fee' lawyers who advertise in the breaks between Jeremy Kyle and Countdown. It's a wonderful opportunity for people to blame their lack of success on something other than their own incompetence. As I have written before, I find this legislation offensive because what politicians and think tanks and lobbyists appear to be telling me is that because both my chromosomes are the correct length I am in some way dumb and need help to get on in life. A nice job in PR before some city banker makes me an honourable woman (good luck to 'em) as obviously I won't want to work forever. No! Far to taxing for little me.

But all it will do is increase the burden on small businesses already struggling under the weight of legislative incontinence from Westminster and Brussels and provide legal cases for people who think can argue that they need large sums of money not to work because someone sent them a card saying 'over the hill' as a joke on their birthday or someone who still doesn't know how to do all the requirements on their job spec why they didn't get the promotion.

It should be up to businesses who they employ, how much they pay their staff and who they take on as clients just as people should be able to say that old people are a greater risk of dying because they are old. Or is that ageist of me?

I disagree..

Normally I agree with Devil's Kitchen on most things. Except, of course, that shirts should be ironed before being worn and ironed with a considerable amount of precision paid to the job.

However, I disagree with the statement he had made on the Kitchen:

Politicians should not ever try to run anything. Ever.

My lovely, on this one you are wrong. The should run. Away. Far away from all of us.
And certainly, the one thing they should never run is for elections.

I think it's fair to say that in my life, I tend to make pretty bad choices. A classic example would be tonight on the way back from a lovely evening well away from London I stopped in a service station to go to the loo. I had about 20 to choose from and yet the first one I went into had no loo seat and the second one had recently had a visitor who hadn't mastered the flush. With this revelation my memories of French camping holidays in the 1980s came flooding back. Seriously, why did it take them so long to realise that shitting in a hole in the ground was not really moving with the times?

However, I did manage to make a sensible decision which was to accept the offer of a friend whom I hadn't seen since the days I was revising for my GCSEs, lazing by the river in the sunshine. It sounds cliched, and it probably is, but the summers when I was a teenage girl consisted of days and days of sunshine and fun. We packed bags of beach towels and school books and a couple of pounds to buy a few glasses of lemonade, and and revised, gossiped and swam in the river without the need of an adult with an advanced CRB check and a health and safety certificate. My friend and I went to a lovely village in Hampshire where the local community had organised an evening of live bands on the village green.

It was an example of how a small group of people can actually make a difference and make something work in a way that big government can't. The majority of bands playing this evening were under 18s who had learnt at after school events in their local schools. The evening was organised by the parish council, who I am told are mainly over 50 and a couple of guys who provided the equipment free of charge and who organised it for no cost. Their gain was giving something back to the community. Tomorrow morning, people from the village who also spent their Saturday morning setting up, will spend their Sunday morning cleaning up cigarette butts from people like me (which I don't feel remotely guilty about because if they hadn't made me a social pariah it would have been in the pub ash tray) and general litter from the happy throngs enjoying themselves.

There were hundreds of people there, mainly young people although I spoke to people of all ages who were simply delighted to be part of a local community event and who were all happy to see the main entertainment being provided by young people.

Had this event been organised by MPs it would never have taken place. Hell, it would never even have been thought of because it would have been a sensible thought not involving quangos and think tanks. And then if it had been, it would have been dominated by people concerned with political correctness, making sure the ethnic and gender balance was correct and the cost involved by making sure that the setting up and controlling was advertised for enough weeks, the applicant companies were interviewed and the most incompetent, useless people were chosen to undertake the role, who then failed, were paid anyway and the next most useless people were called in at the last moment for a vastly inflated fee who wouldn't do a particularly good job anyway, so the whole thing would never be approved.

Because that's the problem with getting people preoccupied with power and self promotion involved in something. They don't see it as a way of actually improving the lives of people, but as a way of making themselves look good and of securing their re-election so they don't have to get a job in the real world. We've had endless government initiatives which have failed, we've had the Tories and their 'hug a hoodie' and yet every time a local council somewhere manages to do something sensible and helpful like fund a basketball court in a city centre it's so rare it makes the evening news.

But without self important politicians and endless tiers of bureaucracy a small group of people managed to put on an event which was not only entertaining but also very useful for those taking part in terms of their hobbies, life experience and self belief.

I hope next year is even more successful and I hope even more that I am invited again.

And I sincerely hope that the local busibodies on the district and county council don't get involved, as that would be a surefire way of stopping the whole event.

location, location, location

Future venues for Radio 4's 'Any Questions'

04/0708: The Abraham Cowley Unit Hall, St Peter's Hospital Campus, Holloway Hill, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 0AE. For tickets, please call 01932 722 163

Anyone not familiar with that particular hospital may not know that the Abraham Cowley Unit is the Mental Health department.
I think that's all that needs saying, really. On the night we'll have to see if we can discover if a patient has made it onto the panel, but it may not be that easy.

Money saving idea for the government

They want to make us have ID cards but there isn't a lot of money because they've wasted it. So, instead of costly ID cards and the big database and all the administration, why don't they just tattoo us? Yeah, people would be horrified and physically sickened by the idea but
1) The government doesn't care what people actually think
2) People don't seem to care enough about these things they are against to do anything about it.

Saying that, I'd do something about it. But if they want to carry on with their 1984 plan it's a thought.

Some Labour party apparatchik is probably writing it down to take to their next meeting of abolishing civil liberties.

doors are just no fun anymore

Journey out of house and to work rather dull and uneventful as door opened no problem and was able to walk down stairs to ground floor. Walked past scaffolding I negotiated yesterday and did feel a small urge to scamper up and down it again.

There is some scaffolding on the front of a house down the road from where I am now...I'm sure they would mind very much if I had a play because there are all sorts of health and safety requirements I would need to fullfil first, like not wearing girly shoes, a dress based on a wedgewood plate and perhaps a hard hat.

I wonder how many EU rules I broke yesterday. Lots, I hope. No doubt the elf n' safety morons would rather I was locked in Kichen Towers all of yesterday as I hadn't done the required course to escape any other way.

Spaghetti Hoops: the update

Well, after all that bloody faf, I decided to eat spaghetti hoops for brunch. Took of lid, ate a few cold straight out of the tin (as you do) and then remembered. The only girl here is moving out and so the only kitchen equipment left is a frying pan (and that took some doing). I can't fry spaghetti hoops, although it would serve the little buggers right if I did.

So this is what I am left with:


What good is that to me? I can't be wandering around London with an open can of spaghetti hoops, but after all the bother they caused me, I'm not going to just leave them....

New job offer!

These things only seem to happen to me, but at least they keep me busy. I am, of course, talking about the last few hours of my life which have been interesting if not slightly traumatic in places.

The problem started with the phone running out of battery, which was exacerbated by the fact I got tiddly at the Forest do last night and then ended up in Annabel's with my friend drinking a Joan Collins (it's like a Tom Collins but with no mixers...) or some such. Time ticked by and I realised that I had rather missed the last train home. So I called up Mingy and arranged to stay there, except that the phone cut out. So I call DK as he was also at the do and he kindly says I can stay with him and to leave now. So after a small argument with the barman at Annabel's regarding two glasses of champagne I have no recollection of but paid the bill for, I hail a cab and head kitchenwards.

A few minutes later I arrive and press the bell. Phone is completely dead at this point. No answer. Hmmm. Press bell again. Nothing. Press lots of bells, someone has to be up and about. Someone swears into intercom, which is fair enough as I probably would have done. Decide that standing outside in summer clothes in the early hours of the morning is not fun so I will lean on DK's bell and hopefully the lazy fucker will wake up. Lean on bell for about 5 minutes continuously. Nothing.

Walk to phone box around corner which amazingly hasn't been smashed. yet. Wonder why I can still remember the mobile number of an ex boyfriend and yet never remember to pack clean knickers and toothbrush in handbag for these kind of emergency situations. Unfortunately, the 3 button is stuck. Ingeniously decide to fix it by smashing receiver on the 3 button, which doesn't do anything. Then decide that I can prise it up with a key. Not my key, I notice. Whose keys are these? Ah, fuck it. Manage to dial number but it rings out. Keep trying for a few more times as quite frankly I'm tired and cold and I want to go to sleep, but not on the street. Nothing. Am in a mixture of anger and frustration so stomp back to flat and bang on the window on the corner of someone who is still up and about. Scare them, but they let me in so I can go bang on DK's door.

Right, surely if he's fairly near the door my continual banging will wake him up. Nope. Nor does the screaming 'wake up you fucking bastard' through the letter box. Remember have extra top in bag so put it on and settle down for a nap. Change mind; am not the sort of girl to sleep outside ex boyfriend's flat. Does rather scream 'stalker' even if it is all his fault. Go to flat where people let me in and when they open in, promptly burst into tears. They are absolutely divine which makes me cry even more and they set me up a little bed on the floor of their sitting room. Nice girl lends me her phone so I can call Minge and he answers and tells me to go to his. Then He calls back and says he's managed to wake up DK and he is coming down to find me. Cry some more. It's all coming out now: stress with work, abandonment issues from when I was six (maybe), concerns about credit card and sadness that it's the Gina sale today and I promised myself I wouldn't buy anything even though I need new shoes for the garden party. And, of course, the fact that I'm a bit pissed and a bed is in sight.

DK finds me, I cry some more. I'm really sobbing at this point. The flood gates are open and quite frankly it's going to take a lot to shut them. Cuddle helps, though, as does glass of water and the lit cigarette which appeared in front of me. Finally climb into bed and cry again. (I could win awards, but no wonder I was so dehydrated this morning). DK manages to shut me up, calls me 'old baggage' which I think is some sort of endearment and we go to sleep. (Old baggage at least an improvement of his all time classic when we were together of 'you're just a more inconvenient form of a jar of chopped liver).

Wake up this morning and realise that the cast of STOMP! are rehearsing in my head. There are some men outside also erecting scaffolding. This is not helping. Still, after months of always having to go to work whilst DK stayed in bed, it's nice to be the one staying in bed, even if it is my death bed. Burst into tears when realise there will be no hair conditioner and Estee Lauder face wash. Pad around flat and notice that last night I bought a jar of peanut butter, a tin of spaghetti hoops and a lump of Jarlsberg 'lite'. Why? What was I planning on doing with that combination? Brush thoughts from mind and notice that I also bought a Fry's Turkish delight! Climb back into bed and eat chocolate for breakfast. Why didn't I buy anything to drink? Find small dribble of orange juice in fridge and drink it. Feel guilty for about 2 seconds for finishing it off but then remind myself that if I hadn't cried so much and lost so many pints of water I wouldn't be so dehydrated. Clean bathroom. Cry again and realise that instead of having complex and really rather fascinating psychological issues I am just looking for a father figure. Call Minge to express disappointment that this is really run of the mill and he tells me to dig deeper and find an unusual problem. Maybe later.

Put clothes on and gather bits together (those spaghetti hoops are actually rather heavy) and call Minge to inform of impending arrival at his flat. Try to open door. Door is locked. It can't be, I'm just being a bit dumb as this has been known before. No, the door is locked. Call DK to ask if he locked the door from the outside before he left for work. Yup. Oh fuck. First of all I couldn't get in the bloody place and now I'm stuck in there.

But lo! The scaffolding! I didn't get all those badges at Brownies for nothing, you know. Have never actually managed to open the door onto the balcony before but realise this is a challenge I may have to master now that it's my only realistic chance of escape. Open door slightly and manage not to break it, but the nice scaffolding man has seen me struggling. Possibly thinks have been left there locked up for own safety as have mad hair and mascara running down face but opens door for my by jumping onto balcony and opening door from outside. Inform him of slight problem and ask if he can help me down the outside of the building, which he can. Great! Feel only slightly hindered by Jimmy Choo handbag, 3 inch heels and four shopping bags (fucking spaghetti hoops, am really regretting that purchase). Ladders are those very long, thin ones but I'm doing pretty well actually. Only one floor to go and there isn't a ladder, so one is brought down and put over the edge and a nice man goes first to steady it for me at the bottom. Trouble is, getting to ladder requires me to climb onto a metal pole 4 ft above wooden platform, twist around and then cross other leg behind me to get foot onto ladder. Think will take shoes off and thrown them down first. Thank goodness nice man took the random food purchases with him.

So, finally, after all that, I'm sitting there assessing the evening and morning adventures. I'm feeling slightly more chipper because it's not everyday you leave the flat via the outside wall but I'm still not happy at work and the stress of that is creeping into my home and social life. But, fate helps me along a little bit as one of the scaffolders walks up to me and asks me my shoe size. 'It's toe cap boots and a hard hat for work tomorrow' he tells me. 'The job's yours if you want it; it takes a bit some something here (bangs chest with fist) to do that, you know.'

Well, I did say that for my next job I wanted a 'left at the traffic lights' and I do get bored sitting at a desk...

The NO vote in Ireland has brought all those who run on bile and vitriol instead of oxygen out of the woodwork.

Take this one:

The Worst Thing about voting NO to Lisbon

Is that you find yourself effectively ‘on the same side’ as these wankers.

The above owners of incredibly punchable faces are all members of the United Kingdom Independence Party. Because of them, I very nearly voted ‘Yes’. They don’t just have a few legitimate issues with some aspects of the Lisbon Treaty. In fact, they probably know even less about it than Charlie McCreevy does. As far as UKIP are concerned, EU membership means that bananas will be straightened, yoghurt will be banned, and we’ll all have to speak le Deutsch, like they do in Holland and the Netherlands.

They want Britain to be free from the shackles of the unelected Brussels beaurocrats, and have full control of its own destiny. They want Northern Ireland to be freed from the shackles of its own elected Assembly, and not have any control of its own destiny. They hate immigrants. They aren’t too keen on Muslims. They want to bring back the death penalty. In short, they’re a bunch of right-wing, xenophobic cranks, a bit like a hosed-down National Front.

The one undeniably bad thing about our rejection of the Lisbon Treaty is that it makes these people happy. If the government really wanted us to vote ‘Yes’, their posters should have simply consisted of the face of the UKIP leader, Nigel Farage, and a short caption…

Vote ‘Yes’ or this twunt will be happy

I sent this to Godfrey Bloom who was pictured and he replied to twat:

Ho! Ho! Well I'm 58 now but if anyone fancies a go I still work out and I still have my gloves from my Army days!
As to xenophobes, well Nigel Farage is married to a German, I am married to a Pole, Gerrard is married to a Philipino and we have a muslim standing for Euro MEP in the forthcoming elections. So pretty well wrong on all counts.

As to bananas, call me a wanker to my face and see where I'll shove one.

The democratic NO, based on fact not fiction and completely devoid of bullying, lies and collision (yes, there was because I have the copy of the e-mail to prove it) has brought them all out of the woodwork. Nasty pieces of work like Brian Cowley and Avril Doyle who have spent their time attacking UKIP for their failure to convince the Irish people of their lies and who have resorted to defamation afterwards.

I think you may have overstepped the mark there, you guys.

Respect the Irish NO?

Still want to stay in?

Not only do they kick out members of staff but notice how they confiscate banners from elected politicians who are trying to represent the people who elected them. These Huissiers who work in the European Parliament are paid to by biased against democracy and anti-EU politicians.

Later in the week, lefties stood up to protest that Greece was not allowing illegal immigrants to stay there and help themselves. They were allowed to protest, of course. They are trying to increase the power of the EU and are therefore allowed.

Still want to stay in?

Mandy: I'm taller than Sarko

So Sarkozy blamed Mandelson for the Irish voting no, presumably because Sarko is actually a bit of an economic illiterate.

And Mandy responded by saying "his shoulders were broad enough and his skin thick enough" to take the blame.

There is some sense in what Mandy is saying about international trade, but they still react to other people imposing trade tariffs by doing it back which is nonsensical. So what if other countries want to damage their own economies by failing to grasp Ricardo's theory from centuries ago? And that, of course, is yet another reason why we should not be in the EU. Because our interests are being represented by Mandelson who is having to deal with the squabbles over the Irish no and the basic fundamental differences in belief between countries like the UK and The Netherlands and countries like France and Spain.

If only we could represent ourselves and say, 'bugger you lot, in the UK it's free trade; come and enjoy as we will be!!'

42 days and further

Whilst we are debating the decision of David Davis and Magna Carter (which some of us are) Some home truths:

European Arrest Warrant.

The European Arrest Warrant (EAW, or more rarely, EUAW) is an arrest warrant to allow the arrest of criminal suspects and their transfer for trial or detention which is valid throughout the states of the European Union (EU). The EAW is an attempt to increase the speed of extradition throughout EU countries, as well as change the mechanism from having a "political and administrative phase" into a system run by the judiciary

Rapporteur: Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP

In favour

Nick Clegg, Chris Davies, Andrew Duff, Chris Huhne, Sarah Ludford, Liz Lynne, Bill Newton-Dunn, Nicholson of Winterbourne, Graham Watson
Sir Robert Atkins, Chris Beazley, John Bowis, Philip Bradbourn, Philip Bushill-Matthews, Martin Callanan, Giles Chichester, Den Dover, James Elles, Jonathan Evans, Robert Goodwill, Dan Hannan, Malcolm Harbour, Chris Heaton-Harris, Roger Helmer, Caroline Jackson, Timothy Kirkhope, Edward McMillan Scott, Neil Parish, John Purvis, Robert Sturdy, David Sumberg, Charles Tannock, Theresa Villiers
Gordan Adams, Michael Cashman, Richard Corbett, Robert Evans, Glyn Ford, Neena Gill, Mary Honeyball, Richard Howitt, Stephen Hughes, Glenys Kinnock, Eryl McNally, David Martin, Ben Miller, Simon Murphy, Mel Read, Catherine Stihler, Gary Titley, Mark Watts, Philip Whitehead
Jill Evans, Ian Hudghton, Jean Lambert

Against:

Nigel Farage, Jeffrey Titford,

EU Biometric passports:

Supported by PSE, EPP and ALDE in the European Parliament. That's Labour, Tories and Lib Dems who, despite what they say about ID cards, supported the EU being in control of biometrics in our main ID document which would lead to 'further integration' of EU documents.

It may as well be true....

Scandal hit the European Summit today as the European Council decided to replay the quarter finals.

Germany and Portugal have both tried to resurrect the failed EU Constitution, but success went to Portugal with the inevitable ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

But Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said he was unhappy with the failure of his football team to confirm their victory over Germans and the Berlin Declaration.

"It is not acceptable that the German team beat the Portuguese team fairly and squarely" said a spokesman today.

"Portugal have shown that we are the leaders in pushing the EU forward and consequently the match should be replayed until we get the correct result.

"Clearly, the players were not aware of the rules, or were making a point in losing this match which has nothing to do with football.

"I will remind them of why we are in Euro 2008 so next time they go on the pitch they play with the right aim in mind."

Jose Manuel Barosso and Hans Gert Poettering have registered their support with the Portuguese and said that the Portuguese football team "must have been mistaken."

"No doubt they were thinking they were playing the wickedly eurosceptic game of cricket instead" said Mr Barosso.

Ends

This is not a democracy

I have, once again, been thrown out of the hemicycle because I am a girl who is not pro the EU.

I had the pass to get in there, I was sitting quietly at my seat, camera in a bag when a Huissier came across and told me to get out. He put his hand over my lense and told me I wasn't allowed in the chamber. I ignored him because I don't like to be bullied by fascists. He carried on trying to tell me that I was not allowed in there and then tried to break my camera. I was filming him saying this. Then he grabbed me and made me move. As I walked off I told him that this was supposed to be a democracy.

He tried to stop me going to the MEPs who had asked me to be in there and forcibly tried to stop me. I pushed past him and gave my camera to Nigel Farage. He then stood on my pashmina to stop me going anywhere, but I tugged it from under he cheap, plastic unpolished shoes. As he frogmarched me out, he stole the badge which belongs to the group. I asked him one again, how is this a democracy. He said it is, which is why I can throw you out. To which I replied, Dictatorship might start with a D but that's where the similarity ends. Then I asked for the bully's name. He asked what mine was, so I told him. He then refused to tell me his. His colleague came along and said, you don't have a hemicycle badge so you have to get out. I asked for the badge back, but they denied knowing anything about it.

So I have been listening to the speeches made on the computer in my office. I am, not surprised by what they said, they are EU nationalists who will stop at nothing. Some of them even had the audacity to say that one of our Irish MEPs did not represent the people of Ireland because she campaigned on the NO side.

Now, can anyone tell me why Labour, the Lib Dems, the Tories and the Greens want to be part of this organisation? An organisation which bends its own rules, which states that the voice of the few people who were allowed a referendum should be ignored?

This is the third time in four years I have been bullied and pushed around by Parliament security, who are authorised to do so by the President of the Parliament.

No, we can't just ignore them as we have been ignored. We have to leave the EU. You can't reform it, it doesn't want to be reformed. Did Stalinist Russia want to be reformed? No.

Wake up.

Consider me amused by the intervention made by Dan Hannan in the Strasbourg Plenary today. In the middle of the voting on the proposals by Tory MEP Caroline Jackson on rubbish (the one who is paid by a company who will benefit from her proposals) he stood up and said he didn't like the results so could we just ignore them...

Shame...

I'm banning anonymous comments because I'm sick of pro EU twats writing factually inaccurate shite all over the blog. Don't like it, fuck off. Don't sit there writing really, really boring, pedantic, incorrect rubbish. It just makes me angry and despair for the human race and I can't afford the wrinkles. I can afford botox but apparently it leaks into the brain. I wonder how smooth the faces of these guys are?

I like some of my anon contributors but they're not anonymous to me so sorry to those and get a google account.

Why you can't reform the EU

Hear that? It doesn't matter if you vote no. It's in and accept every new transfer of power to the EU or it's out and govern yourself.

No in between.

God, I fucking hate the EU so much. How can anyone want to stay in it?

forget green fingers

I have a new obsession: gardening.

Observe:

Veronica


(you can just glimpse the trailing pansy at the bottom. I shall be growing lots of those next year)

Betty:



Florence




You'll also be pleased to know that Rosie the hanging basket is doing very well. She's more bohemian than the others. My busy lizzies are in full bloom, my dahlias are doing delightfully and my petunias are perfection.

oh how ironic

Yesterday evening in Brussels I saw a lady trip, fall and skid along the ground so I went over to see if she was okay. I managed, in my quite outstanding schoolgirl french, to establish that not only was she not too badly hurt but that she didn't know the way to the beach or need the blackboard to be cleaned.

I glanced around to find her a taxi so she could get home and cleaned up more quickly than using the rat infested sewer underground when I saw this on the door of the Berlaymonster near where she fell...

three out of three ain't bad

Am back from Brussels after a day which could have been worse. Of course, it could have also been better. Yes, the Irish said NO. No, the Commission, European Council and national governments won't listen.

Gap year kid Miliband who was sitting in the House of Lords debate on a referendum the other night says we have to push ahead with a treaty which, if the Irish government stick to their constitution, has no legitimacy under EU law. But that won't stop them.

Cowley will be summoned on Thursday to explain why his country didn't appreciate that really, the correct answer to the question was yes.

I overheard TEBAF Margot being interviewed last night and she said the Irish voted no because the No campaign went around telling people that under Lisbon children would be locked up. Which is of course both wrong and ironic because in the Nice campaign irish voters were told if they didn't vote yes, then the children in Eastern Europe who were locked up wouldn't be freed.

This morning Nigel Farage was on his was to do an interview with Sky and saw the potential next president of the European Commission again. He said to her "another referendum result for you to ignore, Margot?". She, of course, has the answers to the 'problem' that only politicians who will get the same money for less work want the feckin' treaty. Can you guess what it is?

The EU are going to fix oil prices. Oh yes, they are. Margot says so. Margot, the woman who, if she was in a private business, would have been sacked for failing in her job.

She's not the only idiot, though. Irish MEP Marian Harkin said that the reason the Irish voted no was because the 'exceptionally well funded No campaign lied." That be the campaign that wasn't funded with huge amounts of public money, eh Marian? You complete spanner.

Too scared to hope...

From the defiantly pro-Lisbon) Irish Times


Early Dublin tallies lean toward No vote

Counting of votes in the Lisbon Treaty referendum began at 9am today, and early Dublin tallies show the vote leaning toward the No side.
In Dublin South-West, there is a report 60-40 split in favour of the No side, and this 60-40 tally is repeated in Dublin North-West, Dublin Central, and Dublin North-East.
In Dublin South-East, early tallies indicate a 70-30 split in favour of the No vote. Elsewhere in the country, tallies from Limerick West indicated a 59-41 No vote,
Tipperary South tallies show 50.3 Yes and 49.7 No vote, while Tipperary North tallies indicate a 50-50 split.

I myself won't believe anything until the results are in, although I do know a 'NO' vote will be ignored by the Euro extremists. Their new nationalism doesn't care for public opinion.

And regardless of the vote, I still haven't had my say, and I demand one.

David Davis, Lisbon and JHA

My personal view on David Davis's resignation over the 42 day terror limit amongst other issues is that it's all pretty irrelevant if his party will not have a retrospective referendum on Lisbon.

The things I am really opposed to are issues like ID cards and biometric passports which stem from the EU (and which the Lid Dems voted for) and Corpus Juris.

On the 42 day detention for terror subjects I am less concerned about it because as an Act of Parliament it can be repealed by Westminster. Having read into it, it's not a straight forward application for 42 days locked up, magistrates and parliament have to approve each case. If that were not the case I would have been concerned by it.

The real issue for me is that we don't have situations that exist on the continent which we could see being used in the UK as the government have signed us up to losing our veto on Justice and Home Affairs.

France: Up to 72 hours without seeing a lawyer and four years in pre-trial detention

Germany: Must be seen by a judge within 48 hours but can be held without trial during investigation

Greece: Up to 12 months - 18 months in extraordinary cases

Italy: Up to 24 hours without seeing a lawyer

Norway: Up to 48 hours - a judge can increase this period

Spain: Up to 72 hours without a lawyer - can be increased to a maximum of 13 days

USA: The attorney general can detain foreign suspects but must start deportation proceedings within seven days. Suspects can be held for periods of six months

So David Davis campaigning for a retrospective referendum on Lisbon would please me. Him campaigning on this but letting more power go to Brussels would not. It would also make this all rather irrelevant.

Well, the last chance for a referendum has been and gone and I was astonished that so many of the people making statements did not have a full grasp of the facts.

Lord Macleenan of Rogard thought that democracy was self indulgent navel gazing. Lord Britten, who failed to mention his EU pension, thought that the public were too stupid to understand the question, a thought shared by the government spokesman on this, Baroness Ashton of Upholland.
Lord Tomlinson, grotesquely fat, ignorant and unpleasant has turned into more of a hate figure for me than even Lord Kinnock. Actually no, having had drinks with Mrs Andreasen, on Tuesday they are equal.

My 'I can't believe anyone would say something that stupid' last night was awarded to the Archbishop of York who acted more like the Catholics his Church was set up in opposition to. His speech was riddled with mistakes and his pathetic attempt at humour over statements which were wholly inaccurate almost made it impossible for me to stay and listen. Anyone who sits in the House of Lords and doesn't yet realise that it is not the supreme court in the country is undeserving of a position to influence legislation.

Finally, if you ask whether the Queen will still be supreme in Parliament under the new treaty, will the answer be yes?

Noble Lords: Yes.

The Archbishop of York: My Lords, will this Parliament still be the highest court in the land?

Noble Lords: Yes.

The Archbishop of York: My Lords, will foreign policy, defence policy and law and order still be governed by this country?

Noble Lords: Yes.

The Archbishop of York: Then why, my Lords, are we making this fuss?

We are making this fuss because you are fundamentally inaccurate. But this capped it off:

The problem is that if there is a referendum now, being one of the Lords Spiritual in this House, I no longer have a vote, so I ask not to be deprived of what I had lost in Uganda.

Get that? The Archbishop of York voted against a referendum because he wouldn't be allowed a vote in it.

Am glad I am Atheist.

Results of amendment vote yesterday

On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 29) shall be agreed to?

Their Lordships divided: Contents, 218; Not-Contents, 280.

Division No. 1

CONTENTS
Alton of Liverpool, L.
Ampthill, L.
Anelay of St Johns, B. [Teller]
Arran, E.
Ashcroft, L.
Astor, V.
Astor of Hever, L.
Attlee, E.
Bagri, L.
Baker of Dorking, L.
Ballyedmond, L.
Bell, L.
Bew, L.
Bilimoria, L.
Blackwell, L.
Blaker, L.
Blyth of Rowington, L.
Bottomley of Nettlestone, B.
Bridgeman, V.
Brooke of Sutton Mandeville, L.
Brougham and Vaux, L.
Browne of Belmont, L.
Bruce-Lockhart, L.
Burnett, L.
Buscombe, B.
Byford, B.
Cameron of Dillington, L.
Campbell of Alloway, L.
Carnegy of Lour, B.
Cathcart, E.
Cavendish of Furness, L.
Chadlington, L.
Chalfont, L.
Chalker of Wallasey, B.
Coe, L.
Colwyn, L.
Cope of Berkeley, L.
Courtown, E.
Cox, B.
Craigavon, V.
Crathorne, L.
Crawford and Balcarres, E.
Crickhowell, L.


11 Jun 2008 : Column 636

Cumberlege, B.
De Mauley, L.
Dean of Harptree, L.
Dear, L.
Deech, B.
Denham, L.
Dixon-Smith, L.
Dundee, E.
Eccles, V.
Eccles of Moulton, B.
Eden of Winton, L.
Elliott of Morpeth, L.
Elton, L.
Feldman, L.
Fellowes, L.
Ferrers, E.
Fookes, B.
Forsyth of Drumlean, L.
Fowler, L.
Fraser of Carmyllie, L.
Freeman, L.
Gardner of Parkes, B.
Geddes, L.
Gilbert, L.
Glenarthur, L.
Glentoran, L.
Goodlad, L.
Goschen, V.
Greenway, L.
Griffiths of Fforestfach, L.
Guthrie of Craigiebank, L.
Hameed, L.
Hamilton of Epsom, L.
Hanham, B.
Hanningfield, L.
Harris of Peckham, L.
Hayhoe, L.
Henley, L.
Higgins, L.
Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, L.
Hogg, B.
Home, E.
Howard of Rising, L.
Howe, E.
Howell of Guildford, L.
Hunt of Wirral, L.
James of Blackheath, L.
James of Holland Park, B.
Jenkin of Roding, L.
Jopling, L.
Kalms, L.
Kilclooney, L.
Kimball, L.
King of Bridgwater, L.
Kingsland, L.
Kirkham, L.
Lamont of Lerwick, L.
Lane of Horsell, L.
Lang of Monkton, L.
Lawson of Blaby, L.
Leach of Fairford, L.
Liverpool, E.
Lloyd-Webber, L.
Lucas, L.
Luce, L.
Luke, L.
Lyell, L.
Lyell of Markyate, L.
McAlpine of West Green, L.
McColl of Dulwich, L.
Macfarlane of Bearsden, L.
MacGregor of Pulham Market, L.
Mackay of Clashfern, L.
Maginnis of Drumglass, L.
Mancroft, L.
Mar, C.
Marland, L.
Marlesford, L.
Masham of Ilton, B.
Mayhew of Twysden, L.
Miller of Hendon, B.
Monson, L.
Montagu of Beaulieu, L.
Montgomery of Alamein, V.
Montrose, D.
Moore of Lower Marsh, L.
Moran, L.
Morris of Bolton, B.
Morrow, L.
Moynihan, L.
Murton of Lindisfarne, L.
Naseby, L.
Neill of Bladen, L.
Neville-Jones, B.
Newton of Braintree, L.
Nickson, L.
Noakes, B.
Northbrook, L.
Northesk, E.
O'Cathain, B.
Onslow, E.
Oppenheim-Barnes, B.
Ouseley, L.
Owen, L.
Paisley of St George's, B.
Palmer, L.
Palumbo, L.
Park of Monmouth, B.
Parkinson, L.
Patten, L.
Pearson of Rannoch, L.
Perry of Southwark, B.
Pilkington of Oxenford, L.
Platt of Writtle, B.
Plummer of St. Marylebone, L.
Prior, L.
Quinton, L.
Ramsbotham, L.
Rawlings, B.
Reay, L.
Rees, L.
Rees-Mogg, L.
Roberts of Conwy, L.
Rogan, L.
Rotherwick, L.
Rowe-Beddoe, L.
Ryder of Wensum, L.
Saatchi, L.
Sainsbury of Preston Candover, L.
St. John of Bletso, L.
Saltoun of Abernethy, Ly.
Sanderson of Bowden, L.
Scott of Foscote, L.
Seccombe, B. [Teller]
Selkirk of Douglas, L.
Selsdon, L.
Sharples, B.
Shaw of Northstead, L.
Sheikh, L.
Shephard of Northwold, B.
Shrewsbury, E.
Simon, V.
Skelmersdale, L.
Skidelsky, L.
Slim, V.
Soulsby of Swaffham Prior, L.
Sterling of Plaistow, L.
Stevens of Ludgate, L.
Stewartby, L.
Stoddart of Swindon, L.
Strathclyde, L.


11 Jun 2008 : Column 637

Sutherland of Houndwood, L.
Swinfen, L.
Taylor of Holbeach, L.
Taylor of Warwick, L.
Tebbit, L.
Tenby, V.
Thatcher, B.
Trefgarne, L.
Trenchard, V.
Trimble, L.
Trumpington, B.
Ullswater, V.
Verma, B.
Vinson, L.
Waddington, L.
Wade of Chorlton, L.
Wakeham, L.
Walker of Worcester, L.
Warsi, B.
Wilcox, B.
Willoughby de Broke, L.
Wolfson, L.
Wolfson of Sunningdale, L.
Young of Graffham, L.

NOT CONTENTS
Adams of Craigielea, B.
Addington, L.
Adonis, L.
Ahmed, L.
Alderdice, L.
Allenby of Megiddo, V.
Anderson of Swansea, L.
Andrews, B.
Archer of Sandwell, L.
Armstrong of Ilminster, L.
Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, L.
Ashton of Upholland, B. [Lord President.]
Avebury, L.
Bach, L.
Barker, B.
Barnett, L.
Bassam of Brighton, L.
Berkeley, L.
Bernstein of Craigweil, L.
Best, L.
Billingham, B.
Bilston, L.
Blackstone, B.
Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury, B.
Bowness, L.
Bradley, L.
Bradshaw, L.
Brett, L.
Brittan of Spennithorne, L.
Broers, L.
Brooke of Alverthorpe, L.
Brookman, L.
Butler-Sloss, B.
Campbell-Savours, L.
Carlile of Berriew, L.
Carter of Coles, L.
Chester, Bp.
Chidgey, L.
Chorley, L.
Christopher, L.
Clarke of Hampstead, L.
Clement-Jones, L.
Clinton-Davis, L.
Cobbold, L.
Cohen of Pimlico, B.
Condon, L.
Corbett of Castle Vale, L.
Cotter, L.
Coussins, B.
Crisp, L.
Cunningham of Felling, L.
Currie of Marylebone, L.
Darzi of Denham, L.
Davidson of Glen Clova, L.
Davies of Coity, L.
Davies of Oldham, L. [Teller]
Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde, B.
Dearing, L.
Desai, L.
Dholakia, L.
Dixon, L.
Donoughue, L.
D'Souza, B.
Dubs, L.
Dykes, L.
Eatwell, L.
Elder, L.
Elis-Thomas, L.
Elystan-Morgan, L.
Evans of Parkside, L.
Evans of Watford, L.
Ezra, L.
Falconer of Thoroton, L.
Falkner of Margravine, B.
Farrington of Ribbleton, B.
Faulkner of Worcester, L.
Filkin, L.
Finlay of Llandaff, B.
Foster of Bishop Auckland, L.
Freyberg, L.
Gale, B.
Garden of Frognal, B.
Garel-Jones, L.
Gibson of Market Rasen, B.
Giddens, L.
Golding, B.
Goodhart, L.
Gordon of Strathblane, L.
Goudie, B.
Gould of Potternewton, B.
Graham of Edmonton, L.
Greaves, L.
Greenfield, B.
Greengross, B.
Grenfell, L.
Griffiths of Burry Port, L.
Grocott, L.
Hamwee, B.
Hannay of Chiswick, L.
Harris of Haringey, L.
Harris of Richmond, B.
Harrison, L.
Hart of Chilton, L.
Haskel, L.
Haskins, L.
Haworth, L.
Henig, B.
Heseltine, L.
Hilton of Eggardon, B.
Hollis of Heigham, B.
Hooson, L.
Howarth of Breckland, B.
Howarth of Newport, L.
Howe of Aberavon, L.
Howe of Idlicote, B.
Howells of St. Davids, B.
Howie of Troon, L.
Hoyle, L.
Hughes of Woodside, L.


11 Jun 2008 : Column 638

Hunt of Chesterton, L.
Hunt of Kings Heath, L.
Hurd of Westwell, L.
Irvine of Lairg, L.
Janner of Braunstone, L.
Janvrin, L.
Jay of Ewelme, L.
Jay of Paddington, B.
Joffe, L.
Jones, L.
Jones of Cheltenham, L.
Jones of Whitchurch, B.
Jordan, L.
Judd, L.
Kennedy of The Shaws, B.
Kerr of Kinlochard, L.
King of West Bromwich, L.
Kinnock, L.
Kirkhill, L.
Kirkwood of Kirkhope, L.
Laird, L.
Layard, L.
Lea of Crondall, L.
Lee of Trafford, L.
Leitch, L.
Linklater of Butterstone, B.
Livsey of Talgarth, L.
Lloyd of Berwick, L.
Lofthouse of Pontefract, L.
Low of Dalston, L.
Ludford, B.
Macaulay of Bragar, L.
McDonagh, B.
Macdonald of Tradeston, L.
McIntosh of Hudnall, B.
MacKenzie of Culkein, L.
Mackenzie of Framwellgate, L.
McKenzie of Luton, L.
Mackie of Benshie, L.
Maclennan of Rogart, L.
McNally, L.
Maddock, B.
Malloch-Brown, L.
Mar and Kellie, E.
Massey of Darwen, B.
Mawson, L.
Maxton, L.
Meacher, B.
Miller of Chilthorne Domer, B.
Mitchell, L.
Mogg, L.
Moonie, L.
Morgan, L.
Morgan of Drefelin, B.
Morgan of Huyton, B.
Morris of Handsworth, L.
Moser, L.
Murphy, B.
Neuberger, B.
Newby, L.
Nicholson of Winterbourne, B.
Northover, B.
Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay, L.
O'Neill of Clackmannan, L.
Oxburgh, L.
Parekh, L.
Patel of Blackburn, L.
Patten of Barnes, L.
Paul, L.
Pendry, L.
Pitkeathley, B.
Ponsonby of Shulbrede, L.
Prashar, B.
Prosser, B.
Prys-Davies, L.
Puttnam, L.
Quin, B.
Radice, L.
Ramsay of Cartvale, B.
Razzall, L.
Rea, L.
Redesdale, L.
Rees of Ludlow, L.
Rendell of Babergh, B.
Rennard, L.
Richard, L.
Roberts of Llandudno, L.
Robertson of Port Ellen, L.
Rodgers of Quarry Bank, L.
Rooker, L.
Roper, L.
Rosser, L.
Rowlands, L.
Royall of Blaisdon, B. [Teller]
Sainsbury of Turville, L.
St. Albans, Bp.
Sandberg, L.
Sandwich, E.
Sawyer, L.
Scotland of Asthal, B.
Scott of Needham Market, B.
Sewel, L.
Sharman, L.
Sharp of Guildford, B.
Shutt of Greetland, L.
Slynn of Hadley, L.
Smith of Clifton, L.
Smith of Finsbury, L.
Soley, L.
Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, L.
Stone of Blackheath, L.
Strabolgi, L.
Symons of Vernham Dean, B.
Taverne, L.
Taylor of Blackburn, L.
Taylor of Bolton, B.
Temple-Morris, L.
Teverson, L.
Thomas of Gresford, L.
Thomas of Macclesfield, L.
Thomas of Swynnerton, L.
Thomas of Walliswood, B.
Thomas of Winchester, B.
Thornton, B.
Tomlinson, L.
Tonge, B.
Tope, L.
Tordoff, L.
Truscott, L.
Tugendhat, L.
Tunnicliffe, L.
Turnberg, L.
Turner of Camden, B.
Turner of Ecchinswell, L.
Tyler, L.
Vadera, B.
Vallance of Tummel, L.
Wall of New Barnet, B.
Wallace of Saltaire, L.
Wallace of Tankerness, L.
Walmsley, B.
Walpole, L.
Warner, L.
Warnock, B.
Warwick of Undercliffe, B.
Watson of Invergowrie, L.
Watson of Richmond, L.
Waverley, V.
Whitaker, B.
Whitty, L.
Wilkins, B.


11 Jun 2008 : Column 639

Williams of Crosby, B.
Williams of Elvel, L.
Williamson of Horton, L.
Winston, L.
Woolf, L.
Woolmer of Leeds, L.
Wright of Richmond, L.
York, Abp.
Young of Hornsey, B.
Young of Old Scone, B.

unemployment: when things really start to go wrong

For me, the main indication of an economy in trouble, apart from having a Labour government, is when unemployment starts to rise. It's toxic in the way it damages everything surrounding it with the exception of a greater knowledge of daytime TV. If people don't have a regular, substantial income then they can't pay their mortgage and their bills, they can buy less, they can't invest and the government has to give them money which all takes away from the national income. Indeed, the opportunity cost of unemployment is significant. The unemployed are a non productive asset in the economy which still needs to be maintained by the economy.

So whilst the OECD report damning the state of the nation's finances should cause alarm bells to ring in the ears of the government and their treasury bods, it shouldn't really be a surprise given how badly they have handled the economy over the last 11 years.

The Growth and Stability pact is of course meaningless and toothless since Britain is, thankfully, not part of the euro-zone. The sheer nonsense of fining a country which is in trouble for not having enough money is clearly straight from the European Commission; the people who didn't understand that when you threw fish back into the sea after a period of time out of the water they would be dead. I happen to think that borrowing should be used in slow or negative growth times to flatten out the economic cycle and we really don't need Trichet interfering in our economy. I'd rather not have Gordon Brown interfering in it either but the point with him is that I and my fellow voters can sack him.

Unemployment takes a while for its effects to hit but once the damage has reached jobs, it's very hard to halt it. The spiralling effects are significant and I hope will prove to be the downfall of this very dangerous administration.

And I can also buy a house.

BBC Europe editor reveals his true colours..

On a 'No' vote in Ireland...

There would be no attempt to renegotiate a second reform treaty. No further tinkering with the text, no treaty of Prague or Stockholm to be signed next year.

What there would be is a dissection of the corpse. Some major parts of both Lisbon and the constitution would be sadly discarded.

Sadly discarded, eh?
And also the admission that there are chunks of the Constitution in the Lisbon Treaty, as if we already didn't know...

At last...

Northern Ireland's new environment minister said today that much of climate change is beyond man's control and cutting emissions will have limited impact.

Reducing discharges will not alter the global warming cycle, Sammy Wilson added.

Thank heavens! Another person speaking sense, and this one in the right portfolio!!!

now, cue attacks from lentil eaters wearing socks an sandals who think that the change in the earth's climate has only happened in recent years, and that the dinosaurs died in Noah's flood.

And who exactly is Declan Ganley, the campaign's Mr No? his critics ask" says Michael White in the Guardian today.

He's not a politician and he has read the treaty being voted on, which is two ticks in favour of the Irish Prime Minsiter...

New blow to UK labour market

So, the government have given in to the lunacy of the Agency Workers Directive. That's just what we need in a time where the economic forecast looks less than rosy: less flexibility.

The 1.3 million agency workers will get the same rights as full time members of staff after only working 12 weeks.

Now, whilst this decision is nowhere near as bad as the mindnumblingly dumb proposals originally on the table, that of equal rights from day one of an agency contract and the second one of six weeks into a job, it is still not necessary and not required.

It also shows how little power we really do have because the government's idea was that temps should work at least a year.

Surely it should seem obvious that the people this will affect is the temps, who will not get such long term contracts because it is not in the interest of the business to do so. Lots of people choose to be temps rather than being forced to do it because there is nothing else going, which means they don't want to be a full time member of staff with the obligations that puts on them.

But, you see, in the eyes of the EU who are all mad socialists (is there any other kind?) and unions who, as far as I can see would rather we all sat around not doing anything than some people achieved more than others, people who employ other people and run companies are bad, wicked mill-owners ready to ravish the poor, innocent and yet beautiful factory girl and leave her pregnant with his bastard child whilst he goes on a grand tour of Europe with his rich, ungrateful wife. Catherine Cookson stuff here, but whilst she's dead, the EU lives on.

John Hutton even says:

Flexibility has been critical to our ability to create an extra three million jobs over the past decade

So why get rid of it now?
And of course, he can justify it by:

That flexibility has been preserved by ensuring workers can continue to have choice over their working hours in future years.

So in a nutshell, the UK have agreed to a law they didn't want so long as they can clarify some aspects of the loopy Working Time Directive that also most people don't want. But if we weren't in the EU we wouldn't have to have either.
So tell me, why are we in it?

But, hold on, for it is not over yet, for the European Parliament still has to vote:

Liberal Democrat MEP Liz Lynne warned that Gordon Brown's own Labour MEPs could object to the working time deal.

Liz Lynne who is not a libertarian, I would like to point out, but very amusing to watch when there is even a sniff of cigarette smoke around.

But she's got a point; Labour MEPs are even more drum-bangingly left wing than those in Westminster, as are the Tory MEPs and the Lib Dems, if that is possible. Ah, yes, for their leader in Brussels likes to make speeches in French rather than the language his constituents speak.

I would estimate that the Employment committee who will get this legislation will stuff it with amendments calling for equal rights straight away, and the six week option.

The European Parliament: reliable in their stupidity.

Please, can we leave yet?

head too far in the trough to notice the rule changes

From the Dundee Courier:

"However, Mr Purvis has now learned that the rules may have changed in 2003 without him being notified. “I don’t recall having been told of any change,” Mr Purvis said.

I knew the rules and I simply don't believe that you didn't. Not when every single MEP was told about the rule changes come reelection in 2004.

That is why you are supposed to have a professional in charge of financial transactions, someone who makes an effort to know what the rules are. Considering Purvis has been an MEP since 1869 or similar, it just doesn't wash.

It's probably allowed

But that doesn't make it right...

Labour MEP Brian Simpson employs his son full time in Brussels and employs his wife part time one day a week as his service provider in his St Helen's office.

So dad employs son and wife and wife takes daddy's money to give to son?

That probably doesn't break any European Parliament rules but that's another reason why the EP is such a pit of filth.

Majority of people support UKIP policy

British voters would back radical moves to negotiate a new, looser relationship with the European Union, a survey has shown.

The ICM opinion poll for Global Vision, the Eurosceptic campaign group, found that among people who want to remain in the EU, a majority would like Britain to opt out of political and economic union, and restrict itself to links based on trade and co-operation.

I went to the launch of global Britain and they say that their aims are to get that looser relationship whilst remaining in the EU. Something that, when they are not on record, senior members say is not possible.

A British government seeking to achieve such an outcome could only do so by putting it to voters in a referendum.

Not strictly true if it were a manifesto pledge, surely?

If there were a positive result, ministers would then need to renegotiate the terms of Britain's membership with all other EU member states – apolicy currently held by none of the three main political parties.

But held by UKIP, of course. Although to be honest what would need to happen would be Westminster parliament to repeal the 1972 EA act. Then we go and arrange a free trade deal with the EU which they would take because otherwise their businesses would stab them.

The survey findings come days before Ireland holds a referendum on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, the only member country to vote on the issue.

For shame that 4 million people get to vote on the democratic future of the rest of the EU because our leaders are so shameless.

If the Irish vote No on Thursday the treaty, which gives more powers to Brussels, abolishing dozens of national vetoes and creating the new post of EU president, cannot come into force in any of the 27 member states.

Considering that the French and Dutch voted no in 2005 I shouldn't have thought it really mattered to them. In a matter of weeks I would imagine that we'd see another referendum in the near future saying to the Irish 'Do you want to stay in the EU and accept the Lisbon Treaty or do you want to leave?' and so the Irish will vote to stay in with the Lisbon Treaty and it goes through.

It would be another big blow to supporters of further EU integration, after the collapse of the Union's proposed constitution when voters in France and the Netherlands rejected it in 2005.

Maybe, to the extent that it's something else for them to ignore.

The Irish Government could, in theory, seek to hold a new referendum, and carry on doing so until it achieved a Yes vote. But recent surveys in the Republic have suggested that public opinion would be hostile to such a move.

I don't think that will bother them if they have the EU breathing down their neck.

Latest opinion polls yesterday showed a dramatic surge in the No vote. Those saying they oppose the treaty have doubled in three weeks to 35 per cent, with just 30 per cent in favour – a result that has shocked the government and the country's major political parties, all of which want a Yes result.

Although this was taken before the deal with the farmers union was sorted out.

The Global Vision/ICM survey found that when British voters were asked about their ideal relationship with Europe, 41 per cent chose one based simply on trade and co-operation. Some 27 per cent wanted Britain to stay a full EU member while 26 per cent wanted to withdraw altogether.

Although of course the first and the last are essentially the same thing, because we couldn't have that relationships whilst being signed up to the treaties. So, 67% of people support UKIP policy.

If the "trade-only" option were offered in a referendum, 64 per cent said they would vote in favour. Asked what should happen if Britain sought to negotiate a looser relationship but other nations blocked the move, 57 per cent said the UK should leave the EU, while 33 per cent said it should stay in.

33% people who don't appear to have a grasp of economics, democracy and who like the poorest people in the world to suffer whilst the west allow their despotic governments to stay in power.

Ruth Lea, director of Global Vision, said: "A looser relationship, based on trade and co-operation, rather than full political and economic integration, is consistently the option of the British people."

Such a shame that that option is never put forward by our politicians in Westminster and the media.

Gordon Brown has said Britain will not get a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, although the House of Lords will vote on this decision this week. Stuart Wheeler, the millionaire businessman and major Conservative donor, will make a High Court challenge, also this week, attempting to force the Prime Minister to call a public vote.

Fingers crossed, but I suspect the phrase 'manifesto pledges are not subjet to legitimate expectation' will be used, and probably not reported.

Meanwhile, tomorrow, Britain will come under pressure to pass an EU directive giving temporary agency workers the same employment rights as permanent staff. Britain has always opposed the directive because business leaders fear that it could cost 250,000 jobs.

Just what we need! Less labour market flexibility Jeez, these people are morons.

Brian Cowen, Ireland's prime minister, embarked yesterday on a last bid to persuade voters to ratify the treaty, saying it was his "most important" task. Defeat would be a personal humiliation for him and would also set back – perhaps permanently – hopes for a reformed and more streamlined decision-making process within the EU.

What a selfish, selfish man, putting his own career above that of the democratic wishes of his people and their right to know the actual facts of the treaty.

Ireland has received huge economic benefit from EU membership and Mr Cowen has warned that it could suffer dire consequences, with a No vote interpreted in Europe as a rejection of the union. But the business downturn and public uncertainty over how the treaty will work in practice mean acceptance is not certain.

I would imagine that the 12.5% corporation tax has more to do with that than money being poured into the EU which caused spiraling inflation in the country.

But basically, if bribing won't work then they'll resort to blackmail. Another reason to leave.

Why is anyone surprised about Den Dover? He's a teetotal Methodist lay preacher. What did you expect?

not breaking news

The European Parliament may be incapable of reforming itself.
Chris Davies Lib Dem MEP

Yes. Where have you been?

Members Elected to make Profits

How could Chichester have not known that the rules on MEPs not being their own paying agents had changed? The system was open to fraud and it's something UKIP complained about from 1999 and to be fair to them, they changed. Each MEP was given a copy of the new rules and so it is laughable that the man tasked by Cameron to clean up his MEP expenses did not know this.

Now he has resigned from his job, but not his seat, he will have the time to try to make his books look respectable, which they allegedly need. But he broke the rules and ignorance is not an excuse. Of course, the EP rules are such that whilst they break moral and ethical codes, they do allow MEPs to do things with their funds which no normal person would think acceptable.

He makes Tom Wise and Derek Conway look like amateurs, but he's overshadowed by Den Dover who has the effrontery to go on the news and say that his paying his wife and daughter large sums of tax payers money is acceptable. We already know this is the man who must have hired Michael Jackson's lawyers, or have a father who is a judge but really. His nickname is 'Ryan Air Den' and his own Tory colleagues say that he is on every freebie going. It was alleged that he had said that he's made a million whilst being an MEP and that he 'prefers being an MEP to an MP because they expenses are so much better.'

Oh yes, this is just the sort of man you want to be protecting the UK from the sleaze and corruption of the EU.

So top three in the north west now:
1)Sir Robert Atkins, paying his pensioner wife who already had a few other jobs a considerable salary and told the news of the world that their readers 'wouldn't possibly be able to understand' because it's so complicated, who I hear then decided to sue them.
2) Ryan Air Den and
3) a former Lib Dem.

hmmm. Lucky North West Tory voters.

I notice the Telegraph shoved the story in 'world news' in their paper and got the figure under discussion wrong. What's a small £300,000 between friends, though?
They do have a wonderful Brussels correspondent, though.

Irish results

News reaches me that the powers that be in the European Parliament are rather concerned about the forthcoming Irish result. Not only the result which look to be a 'NO' but the actions which will be taken afterwards. They have been put on notice that a request for a debate on the results of the Irish vote which, of course, will be voted down in the conference of presidents. Even if some British Conservatives and other assorted MEPs want a vote, the request by UKIP leader Nigel Farage will be ignored by Martin Schultz and Joseph Daul who vote for the Tory and Labour party. As he said, 'It's like a 1970's trade union meeting without the cups of tea.'

However, if they debate is refused, if they try to ignore an Irish 'NO' as they voted to do in the debate on the Lisbon Treaty in Strasbourg then who knows what will happen. No doubt the huissiers will be violent and find the nearest female member of staff to attack; the federalists will start comparing people who want free and fair debate and the results of legitimate referendums to be respected to Adolf Hitler. They will then sit in their secret meetings and work out the next question they can ask the Irish to make sure they get a 'YES' vote.

Eh?

Open Europe really are on a different planet:
"The Conservatives would not be able to fight the next election as the anti-sleaze party if they are carrying someone who has been forced to resign over sleaze."

How could they anyway? It's not just Chichester, it's Dover, it's Atkins, it's Harbour, it's Heaton Harris, Callahan...and that's just the stuff that's been in the papers!
They don't really want reform, most MEPs love the EU just as it is, and the fact that the press, for some bizarre reason, still cover it as foreign news.

You only have to look at the way they vote to see that, no matter what Open Europe say. I am convinced they're a diversionary tactic to stop any change.

News has it that Giles "catch me if you can" Chichester has been given 48 hours to justify his expenses. Which you may say makes Cameron look tough, except that firstly in 2006 he called for 'Independent' inquiries into potential breaches of the ministerial code

In his submissions to the Democracy Task Force, Mr Cameron suggested a "genuinely independent mechanism" should be created to establish whether rules have been broken by ministers.

And as such, why is CCHQ then deciding if Chichester has behaved badly?

Only an hour ago, I heard from a friend of Mr C that he had until 16h00 Brussels time to state his case or else resign from leading the Tories and also have the whip withdrawn. So this may well be an extension by Mr Cameron which isn't all that tough.

I myself don't like Chichester. He called UKIP MEP Graham Booth a racist in the Western Morning News, then when questioned about it said "that's politics, dear chap" and proceeded to call him a racist two weeks later. He's also the man who said he'd saved the crown mark on pints when in fact he got rid of it.

The News of the World have been doing features on these MEP expenses and I"m glad to say that they couldn't find a UKIP MEP breaking the rules or going on jollies at the expense of the tax payer, for the simple reason that they have a chartered accountant in charge of their money to make sure they don't break the rules. UKIP national treasurer is also Marta Andreasen who has quite a reputation for speaking out when she sees the rules being broken.

Muck raking?

Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour also accused us of "muck-raking" and threatened: “If you value your relationship with the Conservative Party I would recommend that you think very carefully about continuing with this...

From the Open Europe blog. Which is a rather clear indication of why I don't like or trust Open Europe in that guise, or when they are in fancy dress as 'I want a referendum' since they just dilute the real issue of our EU membership, something they don't want to address. Lord Leach will not forget who gave him his peerage and why...

outrageous and hypocritical

But what else do we expect from this government?

Private schools were urged today to stop building state of the art theatres or sports facilities and to spend their funds on bursaries for poor children instead.
New laws mean independent schools will have to prove they operate for "the public benefit" if they are to retain their charitable tax breaks collectively worth £100 million per year.
Fee-paying parents need to be told that facilities do not exist simply for the benefit of "their little Johnny", a legal expert warned the Independent Schools Council annual conference.

So parents who spend money on private schools because the other schools are so shocking, and I speak from experience here, now have to pay twice over for other kids to go to private schools even though they already pay for state education in their taxes.

Why? Because of this fucking hateful bastard cunt of a government. The people who, because of their hatred of anyone doing well, decided to slash the assisted places scheme in 1997. The assisted places scheme which helped poor people go to private schools and escape the misery of the failing state system where 1/4 children aged 11 cannot read and write, whose playing fields are being sold off and who are being let down utterly.

Danish embassy bombed

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the blast came within weeks of al-Qa'eda number two Ayman al-Zawahri calling for attacks on Danish targets in response to the publication of caricatures in Danish newspapers depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

So, in response to that:

More on Post Offices

Evidence from the Communication Workers Union:
Mr Hayes 'We think it's a funny consultation process that says there are going to be 2,500 Post Office counters closed at the beginning and at the end of the local consultation process says there are going to be 2,500 post offices closed.'

Well, that is because the decision was made with the permission of the European Commission in secret meetings and there is nothing that MPs or anyone else can do about it except leave the EU and govern ourselves.

And once again there is not one single mention of the EU in any of the media coverage.

In Henley, of course, the Dim Libs are campaigning to save local post offices, which makes them the hypocrites we all know, as are those labour MPs and Tories saying they want to save local post offices. For if we look at the voting records on the legislation in the European Parliament we find:

1997 - 1st Postal Directive 3rd Reading - Non RCV Simple Majority
(19th November 1997) Vote Passed

* North West New Labour MEP Brian Simpson was the rapporteur for the above 97/67/EC Postal Directive reports in the EU Parliament.


2000 - 2nd Postal Directive 1st Reading - UKIP Against
(Final Vote) Tories Against
New Labour For
Lib Dems For
Greens For

2002 - 2nd Postal Directive 2nd Reading - UKIP For
(Rejection Amendments) Tories Against
(2002/39/EC Postal Directive) New Labour Against
Lib Dems Against
Greens For

2007 - 3rd Postal Directive 1st Reading - UKIP Against
(Final Vote) Tories For
New Labour For
Lib Dems For
Greens Against

2008 - 3rd Postal Directive 2nd Reading - UKIP For
(Rejection Amendment) Tories Against
New Labour Against
Lib Dems Against
Greens Against & Abstain

New Labour In favour.
Have always voted for all the postal directives since 1996 & was their MEP that ensured its adoption from 1996-97.

Tories Changed Position.
Originally broadly in favour, but opposed the 2000 1st reading, however have voted consistently in favour of every postal directive ever since.

Lib Dems In favour.
Were against the original proposal, but since 1997 have always voted for all the postal directives.

Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne voted, in every case, FOR these Postal directives (when they were MEPs - 2000 and 2002 votes)

Still trust your MPs? Same old story of say one thing in the UK, do quite another in Brussels. And if you want them to stop then you have to stop voting for them. Simple.

And because I really don't like the Lib Dems:

With a sense of devilment the UKIP group then went on to Aston Rowant and Kingston Blout and delivered whole village with our leaflet. This is the village where the DIM-LIB candidate now “lives” even though just as recently as the May local elections he was telling everyone how much he loved Plymouth and how well he was settled there. Unfortunately he didn’t win a seat on Plymouth Council so obviously his love of the City has waned somewhat. Any bets on how long he remains a Henley resident after he looses the by-election. A week? A few days? A couple of hours!

Thanks to Steve Allison for that rather enjoyable snippet...