eurealist.co.uk

I have been playing with a new eurealist blog http://eurealist.myblogsite.com/

Fixed Penalty challenge
From Neil Herron
Can’t pay, won’t pay
The Independent, 29 March 2005
Robert Verkaik reports on a novel challenge to the whole system of fixed penalties
There has been much principled discussion recently about the threat to civil liberties from anti-terror legislation. Now Britain’s motorists believe they have identified an even more insidious attack on our unwritten [...]

Gravy Train Passengers write to the Times en-masse
Regional responsibilities in the UK — and in the EU
From the Chief Executive of the South East England Regional Assembly
Sir, Regional assemblies in England are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and stakeholders representing constituencies of interest, such as business and the environment.
Dr Matthew Portal (letter, March 22) has [...]

With today’s worldwide information technologies is this sort of thing really necessary?

A delegation from the European Parliament arrived in the Maldives last night to observe the rebuilding efforts after the Tsunami and the constitutional reform process currently underway.
The delegation was welcomed at the Male’ International Airport by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussain Shihab [...]

Telegraph | Opinion: “Cattle trail
Because of EU regulations, a cow can be tracked from its birth to the day it ends up on your dinner table. However, the Government cannot trace the numerous asylum-seekers and illegal immigrants it has let in.
The UK Independence Party has studied this matter and now has a new policy in [...]

A good article in the Times by Michael Portillo
Comment: Michael Portillo: The escape door’s open, but Blair stays on as EU hostage - Sunday Times - Times Online
The integrationists want a constitution, president and foreign minister because those are the attributes of a nation state. The treaty does not bring about a United States of [...]

Der I missed this one, thanks to The Road to Euro Serfdom for the post.
The Road to Euro Serfdom: European Arrest Warrant:
“Do you remember the European Arrest Warrant, designed to protect us from cross border terrorists and sex slave smugglers. Well we have finally found out what it is for:”
Now we all have to be [...]

French President Jacques Chirac condemned Britain’s EU budget rebate on Wednesday as “no longer justified,” we should perhaps ask him and the rest of those calling for Britain to give up its rebate, why Britain should pay 14 times the amount into the EU kitty as France?
Perhaps they could all explain why that would be [...]

The Scotsman - Opinion - Weak state of EU economy is a threat to British prosperity
AS SHERLOCK Holmes often explained to Dr Watson, the most important clue is often the thing that did not happen. This week, the general election campaign covered everything from school meals to Tory spending plans, from abortion to Iraq. The [...]

theAisle.org - Political News the way you like it. - - The March Of Democracy May Even Reach The EU
London, England
The undemocratic ways of the European Union are finally catching up with it as many of its member states — especially the United Kingdom and France — consult with their voters over whether to approve [...]

A third survey released Friday has confirmed that a majority of French voters intend to vote against adopting an EU constitution in a May 29 referendum.
The figures, though, suggested the “no” camp was growing. A previous poll by the same company a week ago showed 51 percent against and 49 percent in favour, while [...]

In the main culled from Financial Director
In his annual Budget appearance before the Treasury Select Committee, Gordon Brown emphasized the government would be resolute in its attempts to stop companies using European law to eat into government revenues.
‘The UK will defend vigorously any challenge to UK tax law,’ he said. ‘We will take whatever action [...]

Telegraph | Opinion | Juries weighed in the balance and found wanting:
“The collapse of the Jubilee Line corruption trial shows how disastrously wrong jury trials can go when they are badly handled. It should not, though, be used as a stick with which to beat all jury trials, when it comes to the inquiry into [...]

Although not related to the EU, this post illustrates the very serious nature of the proper working of UK constitutional arrangements. How in the instance of the War in Iraq the integrity of our government systems were ignored as Tony Blair pushed for his war.
On passed experience we can expect similar problems when Blair pushes [...]

Tim Worstall: Urgent Blegging!:
“Wanna give me 90 seconds of your time for my birthday?”

The Pitfalls of EU Citizenship.
The first application of the European Arrest Warrant to a German citizen, Mamoun Darkazanli, who is wanted on terrorism charges by a Spanish court, could be the catalyst which emasculates large parts of the European Union Law.
The German Constitutional Court is to launch an inquiry into whether EU law is compatible [...]

EUbusiness - ‘No’ camp accuses French government of pro-constitution propaganda: “French opponents of the EU constitution on Tuesday accused the government of illegal propaganda for issuing a pre-referendum information dossier which they say is clearly biased towards the ‘yes’ camp.
Philippe de Villiers, who heads the anti-EU Movement for France, filed suit before the Constitutional Council [...]

EUobserver.com:
Pressure is mounting on the Swedish government to allow a referendum on the EU Constitution, as “Over 120,000 Swedes have signed a petition calling for a the Constitution to be put to a referendum, this is something the Swedish government do not want to risk, as in the last EU related referendum in September 2003 [...]

An article in Die Welt by Professor for public law at Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich Peter M. Huber
The parliaments of the member states must control the Council of Ministers better.
In the article Huber suggests that the EU Constitution will lead to a further disempowerment of the member states”, and will cause a major constitutional problem in [...]

FT.com / Comment & analysis / Letters - Europe’s centralising dynamic must be checked: ”
Europe’s centralising dynamic must be checked
By Prof Roland Vaubel
Published: March 23 2005 02:00
From Prof Roland Vaubel on behalf of the European Constitutional Group.
Sir, The signatories to this letter - more than 100 from universities and think-tanks in Europe - unite in [...]