EU Chaos or a failing project

It would seem that Clive Mathews is trying to argue that those of us who question the EU are simply nutty conspiracy theorists who base our abhorrence of this construct on 50 year old quotes of long dead fathers of the EU.
As I said in a previous post that argument is the classic straw man, [...]

Quoting Monnet

The important point to remember about Jean Monnet is that as one of the early major promoters of a unified Europe, without any shadow of doubt he fully supported the aims and beliefs of the founding fathers of the European Project. These were that Europe should become one nation state along the same lines as [...]

outrageously undemocratic behaviour

The National Platform EU Research and Information Centre
24 Crawford Avenue
Dublin 9
Web-site: nationalplatform .org
Wednesday 18 March 2009
Dear Friends,
According to the Irish Times news report below, a meeting is taking place in Brussels today between the entire EU Commission and Mr Martin Territt, Head of the EU Commission Representation in Ireland, to discuss how [...]

Debating The Propaganda Budget

The Open Europe report “The hard sell:
EU communication policy and the campaign for hearts and minds”
Detailing the billions of euros a year the EU spends promoting itself and its central aim of ‘ever closer union’ has been attacked by the EU Communication department /propaganda ministry although on the one hand Joe Hennon, Speaking for [...]

We have a communications problem

The EU commissioner for Propaganda is at it again in a post on her blog she describes a visit to a Prague where she says of the Commissions meeting with President Vaclav Klaus.
“He kept a conciliatory tone and denied having compared the EU with the Soviet Union or going against science on climate change. My [...]

Another EUmyth bites the dust

The EU told us that the headline:
The draft European Union Constitutional Treaty threatens Member States’ national control over energy sources.
was a myth! instead the EU Propaganda unit offered the
The Facts:
This is complete nonsense. The current text of the draft Constitutional Treaty merely simplifies and clarifies already existing arrangements under previous treaties (most recently the [...]

Smear Tactics

It is I suppose only to obvious that in the build up to the second Irish referendum, the EU and its acolytes will continue with their tactics of smearing those who oppose rather than actually openly debating the issues.
Its “just re-hashed, unproven speculative analysis that did the rounds of the Euroblogs well over a [...]

Internet regulation

Andy Burnham Culture Secretary wants internet-service providers (ISPs) to offer parents “child-safe” web services, and says giving film-style ratings to individual websites is one of the options being considered.
In other words the government is going to set up a registration and control system for internet publishers, in short this is going to impact on bloggers [...]

Imigration Report

A European Commission report released today claims that contrary to common widespread fears, the two EU enlargements of 2004 and 2007 have not led to a massive influx of central and eastern European workers to the “old” member states.

EU immigrant workers have not caused “serious disturbances” on labour markets, and workers from the ‘new’ EU [...]

No Respect for Democracy

“I respect fully the NO vote from Ireland.”

The EU Propaganda Minister writing about the Irish referendum says:

Unfortunately she than starts to argue that perhaps her respect is not quite a full as she claims, by repeating the Commission line;

The issues which this Treaty was designed to help resolve have not gone away: In particular, how [...]

A farrago of lies and disinformation.

One could almost feel sorry for the EU apologist’s and fellow travellers, as they struggle to propagate their well rehearsed arguments for ignoring the Irish vote, by painting black to white. Almost! …..but these scumbags inhabit a world of hyperbolic spinning half-truths and inconstancies and had no intention of taking the slightest notice of [...]

EU Propaganda of course not!

It is good to see that the EU Commissioner is in no way trying to influence the outcome of the Irish referendum and is not in anyway interfering in a wholly internal matter for the Irish people. Other than her propaganda visit to Ireland to promote the Treaty .

Perhaps therefore it is only desperation following [...]

EU Democracy?

Margot Wallström is worried about democracy: Transparency
Why do we need openness and transparency? Because the right to know is just as important as the right to vote.
With respect Commissioner I would disagree, openness is not as important as voting, it is part of the democratic process but cannot be used to replace voting. You [...]

More EU propaganda on TV

Reported in the Irish Times Margot Wallstrom complains that television stations give EU news less than a tenth of the airtime they give national news, undermining citizens’ right to information and preventing them having a democratic input, she said the public wants more information about the Union.
To overcome this, she plans to help television [...]

Nothing to do with us says EU Propaganda chief

Margot Wallstrom is getting her knickers in a twist about the St Georges day splash in some of the British news papers, she mentions it on her Blog, suggesting it must be April fools day! and judging by the denials appearing from as far away as China and India the Ministers propaganda department must [...]

An EU Professor

Professor Menon is concerned that political parties only use referenda as a political tactic not constitutional principle does this include the referenda for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly London assembly etc, other than which all parties promised a referendum of the treaty which failed and Lisbon does everything that treaty did.
The other reason referenda [...]

EU to keep low profile until after Referendum

Apparently the EU Commission has denied reports that it is putting off announcing anything that could cause controversy ahead of Ireland’s referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
Strange then that the same article has a link to the document that was initially leaked in which it is quite clear that there is a concerted effort to [...]

A leaked Email

We are told that we cannot have a vote on the Lisbon Treaty because it is just another treaty that has not constitutional effects the Hose of Lords has already issued a report to that effect, it is unfortunate therefore that House of Lords will not be the final arbiter of the effects of the [...]

EU propaganda in our Schools

The British Education Act expressly prohibits political indoctrination by banning the teaching of partisan political views and by requiring that political issues are presented in a balanced manner.
Section 406 of the Education Act 1996 clearly states that local education authorities, school governing bodies and head teachers
shall forbid the promotion of partisan political views in the [...]

Not Secret Just Informal

The EU propaganda Minister seems to be spinning a line in her latest post on her blog she implies that the British press is lying in reports about the Council Presidents Plane, Palace and Staff.
The post is not clear about the facts ie, is the press right to state that the president will have [...]

The EU Bannana Myth

Both the BBC and the Guardian report on the WTO rulling that the EU Bannana import regime breaks international trade rules. Because the rules block imports from Ecuador.
But this cannot be the EU argues that when our press point out the EU has rules governing bannanas that they are perpetrating a myth.

Just another term for Not democracy

The EU Propaganda Minister has now updated her Blog to cover yesterday’s announcement of a further Plan D initiative.
From the measures undertaken so far with Plan D and the measures intended with this new proposal one can safely conclude that all them are propaganda initiatives.
But according the spin Plan D was regarded it as a [...]

I am against an EU Referendum

A comment on this blog has prompted me to argue against an EU wide referendum on the EU treaty, or anything else for that matter.
The EU treaty is called a treaty because it is an international agreement made between the member states, who are exercising their sovereign power.
The fact that EU treaties create a constitution [...]

Another load of our money goes on EU propaganda

The EU propaganda minister has just announced the Commissions new propaganda initiative is to be launched with a budget of €7.2.

Debate Europe is part of the commission Plan D a propaganda programme started to boost the EU public image after the Constitution was voted down in 2005.

The propaganda minister said the idea was [...]

An Independent Jury

Now let me see :

A new award announced – The University Association of Contemporary European Studies – is delighted to announce the short-listed nominations for the
‘Reporting Europe’ awards, honouring excellence in reporting on the European Union in the English-speaking media. The 2008 UACES-Reuters ‘Reporting Europe’ award acknowledges high quality, informed journalism on any [...]

Instead of Democracy

Headlines make the point that polling has taken the place of democracy, instead of allowing us the people a real voice we are inundated with the results of polls conducted and financed by the EU.
The EU relies on the results of polling to pretend that it is listening to the people, several times this [...]

The EU Argument

Somebody recently wrote that the “Europhiliac” argument has not changed in over 35 years, perhaps because they have found it advantages to stick to the same few lines and keep repeating continually.
But first why “Europhilic” and not the more acceptable pro-EU or EU-supporter why the name calling. Well that really is more about the name [...]

Corbett Digging a Big Hole

Thanks to a tip by email from Josephine White, apparently there was big flare up involving the Europhile blogging MEP Richard Corbett ( I won`t link to his blog because he does not allow comments thus ensuring he can put across is own warped view without fear of contradiction)
Roger Helmer reports on his blog [...]

The Oxy

Telegraph Letters reply to The Minister for the EU

Sir – I read with interest Mr Murphy’s assertion that 14 of the 50 extensions to majority voting contained in the so-called reform treaty are procedural “to improve EU efficiency”.
That has left me struggling to decide whether to use the word oxymoron to describe [...]

Perversion of British ministers

I see Jim Murphy Minister for Europe, is maintaining the historic perversion of British ministers who are quite happy to blatantly lie about EU treaties.

In the Telegraph Letters he actually argues;

“The reform treaty will lead to no transfer of power away from Britain” but just like Mr Heath he adds a [...]

Would Thatcher have backed the EU treaty?

Supporters of the EU are always keen to use the propaganda of the dead to promote the project, Churchill, for instance is always wheeled out in support of the cause, even though he is clearly on record as standing against.

This one though takes proverbial the biscuit; Roland Rudd Chairman of Business for New Europe [...]

Conservative Regional Humbug

The Conservatives plan to abolish Regional Assemblies if they gain power in Westminster.

This is the headline news the Conservative party want to promote, but I have long become used to half arsed thinking from the leadership of this once great party, which has produced some outstandingly misleading policy beliefs

“No essential sovereignty will be [...]

Good for the BCC

This from Euobserver
Radio ads run by the European Commission in Ireland have been ruled in breach of Irish media law as they were "directed towards a political end," according to Dublin’s independent body dealing with complaints on broadcasting content.
 Parts of the ads, paid for by the European Commission’s representation in Ireland, were strictly awareness-building [...]

Modest Brussels bureaucracy

Looks like Labour Movement for Europe trolls are out today.
This from the Independent
 
Sir: Marc Glendening is talking through his hat in when he mentions the “over-centralised structures of the EU” (Letters, 27 March). The EU can only legislate with the approval of the ministers from its member states in the Council and any [...]

Discuss Charlie Bolton’s attitude

A new teaching pack on the EU has been introduced for use in Key Stage 3 and 4 “citizenship” classes that claims to offer a balanced view of the organisation and its role. Officials responsible for the pack say “The resources have been designed to offer a balanced introduction to the European Union and the [...]

Eurosceptic who would belive such a thing!

Denis MacShane (Matyjaszek)  Who still advises the government on European affairs (I think ePolitix must mean the EU) has said the Conservatives’ foreign policy is a "disastrous blow" to Britain’s national interest. In relation to the Tories’ ambition to split from the European People’s Party grouping of centre right parties, MacShane said: "David Cameron once [...]

What did the EU do for me in 2006?

IP/06/1835
Brussels, 19 December 2006
What did the EU do for me in 2006?
The European Commission is launching a new multimedia product, the European Union Yearbook, which sets out 10 major policy actions undertaken by the European Union this year and is available in 22 languages. “Europe and you – a snapshot of EU [...]

An Historical Failure

The German government is starting as it means to go on.

EU Ministers set out yesterday a timetable for reviving the Constitution, with the hope of concluding negotiations on a new document by late 2008.
In a move to isolate countries which have not ratified, the18 countries that have already ratified will attend a meeting in Madrid [...]

Brussels Bureaucrats Eat Babies

Richard Corbett up to his usual histrionic verbalistic form in his post about the affect of the new EU driving licence, which must be renewed every 10 years. nb.I do not link to Corbett because he is far to grand to  allow comments,
He complains of the Express and Mail’s predilection for publishing at [...]

Only Half the Truth

Like Regional Assemblies, HIPs have nothing whatsoever to do with the EU. Oh, and I saw Heath on TV a few years ago,
arguing on the same lines as Yvette Cooper, below, about metrication – it was nonsense to suggest that it had anything
to do with Brussels, because we started before we joined the EEC. Why [...]

Pigs seen flying over the BBC

Graeme Wilson writes in the Telegraph that “The Tories attacked the BBC last night after it emerged that it has a £100 million loan deal with a European Union bank set up to promote European integration. 
 
The BBC confirmed last night that it had borrowed £25 million under the deal with the European Investment Bank [...]

A Bold Initiative

After its period of deep reflection, the European Commission has come up with a “Citizen’s Agenda”:
Basically it seems to be more of the same, but with improved PR.

However there’s one strikingly bold initiative: “It will explore the possibility of developing an “entitlement” card which would enable every European citizen to be [...]

Independence in Higher Education and Research

 Quite often we are offered academic reports and studies from diverse academic organisations, which carry with them the assurance that these are nothing more than impartial academic discourse.
This must be the case because they were prepared and presented by independent academics, whos only thoughts are to report honestly and fairly on their particular subject. Of [...]

Commission censured for funding EU critics

EUobserver.com:
“We need a set catalogue of criteria so that organisations that are clearly against the basic principles of the EU, do not get any more money’, says Ms Koch-Mehrin, for whom the bloc’s economic goals are an EU principle.” So says the deputy head of the Liberals in the European Parliament, Silvana Koch-Mehrin, has said [...]

Not a Penny more not a Penny Less

Not a Penny more not a Penny Less
As noted yesterday the Government in Westminster has told the Government in Brussels not to spend a single penny on EU propaganda in Britian, OK as they say it is only keeping us informed! but the EU is spending an inordinate amount of money already to keep us [...]

Not a Single Penny

From Vote No.
Government says EU will spend not a single penny promoting Constitution in UK. The front page of the FT reports that the Government will not accept EU information funds earmarked for Britain. The Press Association quotes a Government spokesman saying We have asked the European Commission to ensure that not a [...]

Monnet`s United-States-of-Europe

In this address of M. Jean Monnet at the National Press Club Washington, D.C. April 30th 1952 He clearly sets out the ideas and ideals of the European movement referring to a federated Europe.
“I shall attempt to describe to you briefly the principle milestones of the road along which we are now moving and the [...]

That Tetchy EU Banana Problem

Irish News,
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There are fears the price of bananas could rocket as the EU plans to treble the duty on imports of the fruit.
Bananas generally come into Europe from Latin America, which has an import quota.
However, now the EU is looking at changing that, to be at the same level of charges imposed on all [...]

Euromyth More Bananas?

Just so we all understand that a myth is not a lie and a Euromyth is in fact the truth

The Straw Man

The Straw Man
The Pro-EU argument often relies heavily on recognised methods of rhetoric, If we take the Euromyth this is an argument that is best described as the Straw Man its is the practice of refuting weaker arguments than one’s opponents actually offer. To “set up a straw man” or “set up a straw-man [...]

Myth of the Week

Richard North has a new Myth of the week on EU Referendum this time exploding the myth that The EU is good for the environment
In “feel-good” terms, the “environment” often comes up number one in the approval ratings for EU action, where the majority of those responding believe that, overall, the EU is beneficial to [...]