Elected Representatives

An MEP was banging on yesterday that cyclists should be registered, have a number plate, insurance and be forced to wear high vis jackets. Effectively she was wanting to tax and regulate cycling.


Regardless of the issue my argument with her was that it is not the job of an MEP, on a monster salary and expenses, to be banging on about this kind of thing. Maybe a local councillor possibly an MP but not an MEP in an ivory tower in Brussels.


Her justification for it was that constituents had been in touch with her about it. Big deal. My response was to ask if she would advocate the slaughter of the first born in every household if a few constituents contacted her in support of it. She didn't answer.


This seems to be the problem with politicians, they are so busy trying to please every interest group they piss everybody off. Elected representatives are representatives, they are not delegates. We vote for people we are in broad agreement with and each election we should look at what they have done and decide whether to vote for them again or not. I certainly wouldn't expect a Labour MP to vote for the nationalisation of the NHS, even if a thousand constituents lobbied him. The argument that elected representatives should do what those who shout the loudest want is wrong headed and dangerous. Especially when it goes against the representatives core beliefs.


I suppose with Euro elections coming up MEPs will suddenly become high profile media whores as they become ever more desperate to maintain their places on the gravy train. I for one will be using my democratic freedom to spoil my ballot paper.

The European Union Gravy Train

Greedy Euro Bitch

One of the most telling images in last night's Dispatches documentary was the statue facing the European Parliament. Failing to see the irony, faceless bureaucrats aren't known for their sense of humour, they place a hard faced, unsmiling, Germanic warrior maiden holding the symbol of a currency outside their pretend parliament in Brussels. What the downtrodden fellow at her feet is either doing or thinking I daren't imagine. But cash and power is what the EU is all about.

Similarly one of the most telling interviewees last night was North West Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies. Repeatedly he told us how he made pots of money from various allowances, which he thought was wrong and shouldn't happen. He told us that he had a flat in Brussels but still received the £260 a day attendance allowance to cover accomodation and subsistence, such as hotels and restaurants.

Now forgive me but also in the programme we were told that MEPs had to sign in to claim the attendance allowance, so surely if you think it is too much don't claim it for two or three days a week. Or is that too rational for an MEP? Or do what your colleague Liz Lynne claimed to do, pay the excess back.

Even if Davies took credit for telling us that he donated the excess to charity that would be better than him smugly admitting it was wrong while telling us he was on the make. That doesen't make it right Chris.

It was refreshing too for the documentary to not only concentrate on the greed of MEPs from all parties, but to go into a little detail about the only other people benefitting from the EU-big business. Twinings getting massive subsidies from the EU and immediately closing down their tea factory in North Shields and moving it to Poland. Nothing to do with paying cheaper wages in Poland I'm sure!

The programme also informed us, yet again, how wealthy landowners benefit, to the cost of tenant farmers, from EU subsidies. When I'm asked why we are in it at all if it's so bad I think you only need to look at this programme, dig a little bit deeper and give it some thought. The only conclusion you can come to is that the EU is run for the benefit of politicians, of all parties, bureaucrats and big business. The rest of us are just economic units, here to be bled dry for their benefit.

Also, look at the fact that 70% of our laws currently come from Brussels and tell me that having the right to go and work in Italy, Spain or France without having to apply for a work permit, assuming you speak those languages, is worth sacrificing all that for.

Dispatches is still available on 4oD via the Channel 4 website for 29 more days. Well done Channel 4.

Nikki Sinclaire UKIP MEP-Update

Further to Nikki's resignation from the EFD Group in the EU Parliament on grounds of conscience, whilst pledging her continued support to UKIP, there have been further developments today.

I have been told in a very brief conversation that Nikki has now been arbitrarily de-selected as a UKIP PPC for the general election.

Furthermore her offices in the West Midlands were today 'raided' by party officials who removed UKIP property. Unfortunately there was only a junior member of staff there at the time, a nineteen year old, who was quite shaken up by the experience.

I will update as I receive information.

UKIP MEP Acts With Courage And Principle Shock

Rumours are rife on t'internet that a UKIP MEP has walked away from the EFD Group in the European Parliament.

If you don't know the EDF Group is a right-wing grouping containing numerous loonies, fruit cakes, homophobes, racists, holocaust deniers and other nutters. In fact many of them make the BNP look liberal.

There is much speculation about who the MEP is, but in my opinion it could only be one, Nikki Sinclaire. Nikki is the only UKIP MEP who has the guts, the courage and the integrity to make a stand such as that. The rest are weak, spineless and mostly motivated by cash.

Let's face it Paul Nuttall walked off the platform on election night rather than share it with Nick Griffin, a cheap gesture. But when it comes to a few Euros, I doubt that a politician as driven by financial gain as Nuttall would take such a principled position.

So my money is on Nikki once again doing the honourable thing.

Career Politicians

The Daily Telegraph has an interesting article today on work done by the New Local Goverment Network thinktank.

Worryingly it looks like at least 1 in 4 MPs after the next election will be career politicians, people who have gone from college/university to research jobs to parliament. Over 25% of our legislators will have had virtually no life experience as people like to put it. If you look at the background of many MEPs you will probably find similar figures.

What a sad state of affairs. No wonder our politicians appear grey, talentless clones with nothing original to say. Because that is exactly what they are.

Grovelling Bastards!

Here is a link to the Times Online.

You can hear and see Lady Mandy, and others, trying to talk their way out of being caught in the trough. There is also another list of who claimed how much and for what.

Just wait until the brown stuff hits the fan about MEPs, which it is bound to do in the next three weeks. Only that will not just be about creaming expenses, oh no, these stories will make the Westminster crowd look like beginners. And no party will be spared, especially those that are 'holier than thou' but appear to have gone native.

North West MEPs In Catfight

I've been in debates with both Chris Davies MEP and Den Dover MEP (aka 'Ben' Dover). Davies represents the Liberal Democrats, Dover the Tories.

I can't say either struck me as a political superstar but of the two Dover was much more personable and civilised. Davies came over as a bit of a weasel, smug, patronising and a head full of candyfloss rather than grey matter. So seeing Davies bitching at Dover's plight has given me a giggle today. Especially this quote from Davies in the Telegraph:

"Most people regard Dover as no better than a thief, a crook who should be in jail."

That's funny Chris, because that's where a growing number of us think all MEPs should be, including you.

If you want to read about Dover's current circumstances, which may rock further your faith in politicians, then here is the Telegraph article in full.

But, before you run away with the idea that Chris Davies is a deeply principled, law abiding chap, remember he got himself arrested, on purpose, with a tiny bit of cannabis in his posession. Full story here.

Ever think the lunatics have taken over the asylum?

Political Whores

The politicians of the three old parties are nothing more than political whores which, I suppose, makes the three old parties political brothels. I apologise if these camparisons offend any working girls, no offence is meant.

Saj Karim is the latest to prove this point. He is an MEP for the North West of England. A few weeks ago he was happily tarting around for the Lib-Dems slagging off David Cameron. Then, this week, he miraculously saw something in the Tories, God knows what, and jumped ship. A bit like a political chameleon really, except that he attacked David Cameron for being one of those a couple of weeks ago! So why did Saj jump ship?

Well, he only came second in the Lib-Dems poll for their Euro list for the 2009 elections. Not bad most might think. But the UK, what's left of the UK, will lose MEPs next time around so that Eastern Europe can elect representatives. One might ask why we don't elect more MEPs in the UK to represent all the Eastern Europeans over here but let's not be petty. As a result the North West goes down to 8 MEPs next time making it virtually impossible for 2 Lib-Dems to be elected. And sitting MEPs get preferential treatment in the Tory selection process.

Saj Karim, man of principle or political whore? You decide.

By the way, the word is he sacked his Lib-Dem staff by text message. Nice fella.