Brussels Commentary Plenary session 13th - 14th Oct 2011
Wednesday saw Barroso pontificating about the Euro and the measures being taken to rectify the problems. All the usual pie-in-the-sky stuff, quite divorced from reality. Its now 2 trillion Euros for the ECB to bail out whoever next goes pear shaped. You will have seen newspaper report of how Slovakia put a spanner in the works, which drew this response from Barroso,-
I congratulate those elements in the Slovakian Government who supported the Euro against the selfish approach of pure national interests.
His arrogance as he promotes the EU/Euro, whatever the damage done to societies and to the real people of them, is quite breath taking.
Even Schultz criticised Barroso but note the term used, "people were being confused by your Parliament"
William Dartmouth asked a question of Schultz, "Would any treaty changes be ratified by referendums, or not?" The response was that, as we should know, the UK is one of those countries which MUST have a referendum for this kind of thing. News to us!! And Schultz is not short of informed advice. As he spoke there sat right behind him none other than Stephen Hughes, Labour North East!
Video of Nigel's response is on the web but see below part of it, quoting the rebel Slovakian Parliamentarian, -
"I'd rather be a pariah in Brussels than feel ashamed before my children who would be deeper in debt"
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Thursday a photo shoot outside the Berlaymont, the Commission building. This was to support the Federation of Small Businesses in handing over a letter to the Commission. The Commissioner responsible, Tajani, said a week ago he could not come so senior team member Valentina Superti would stand in. Late yesterday Ms Superti announced that she could not make the agreed 10.30 am meeting, could only manage 3.30 pm, but of course the FSB could not cancel the arrangements involving their Reps, MEPs photographers and all, so it went ahead anyway.
I will post pics showing a number of us holding the banner of protest. This is against the Commission banning our new tall trucks, those up to 4.9 metres high as opposed to the regular 4.0 m. It does not take a genius to work out how an extra one fifth capacity will cut down on trucks, so less motorway congestion, carbon dioxide etc, etc. UK hauliers will not be taking these high trucks abroad anyway, so it has no impact on the continent, except to make our hauliers more competitive. But the EU does not like competition, hence the regulation. I expect many will remember that we had to re-build bridges to take the extra load when continental trucks got bigger.
Its called, a level playing field.
Derek Clark MEP Brussels 13th Oct 2011
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