I see that the BBC is running the line by the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso that the UK is “closer than ever before” to joining the euro currency zone. Speaking on a French radio show, he said British politicians were considering the move because of the effects of the global credit crunch. Given that Labour denies it has had any change of heart on the Euro, you would think the BBC might have pursued Barroso’s claim a little bit more vigorously? Which British politicians had told him this? When did he gain this new insight that he felt moved to share with French radio listeners? Are there any within the UK government that see this as an opportunity to advance the Euro cause? After all, since Brown has wrecked our British Pound he may feel inclined to move on and find a new currency to destroy?
CLOSE TO EU?
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What’s particulary galling about Barroso’s comments is that while he recognises that the British people don’t want the Euro, the “people that matter” are in favour. By which he presumably means his friends in the Labour government. Barasso needs to be told that the “people that matter” are the British public, whose hard-earned taxes help to fund his privileged lifestyle.
and so the end-game of the NuLabour project nears completion. This was always the plan so as to scupper the Conservative party’s limited chances to reverse NuLabour’s disastrous policies and maybe to split the Conservative party before an election.
I sense a repeat of the ERM with the pound trying to tie itself to the euro in a moment of weakness. This time though the action might well be irreversable.Only an idiot would join at this moment –oh just a minute –Brown
My guess would be that Barroso has not yet made himself available for further comment. It’s likely he only interacts with MEPs regularly, and they’ll be in favour since it would make them more important?
As a slight aside, another bank has gone bankrupt this morning. A couple of hours on from the news breaking and not a whiff of it on the BBC website
Has anyone asked how the UK could have unilaterally lopped 2% off its interest rates to stimulate its own economy had it been in the Euro?
This is, of course, a move to bring Tory disagreements about the EU into the open as a favour to Gordon.
Although the BBC appears as EU spokesman Barosso’s mouthpiece, there is no mention by the BBC of the important arguments against Britain joining the Euro, such as:
1.) loss of national control of interest rates, which is particularly important for UK economy, so heavy ai is its dependence on mortgage finance of its large housing market; and UK companies are relatively heavily dependent on debt financing;
2.)loss of any national control of exchange rates, which currently allows significant national economic flexibility in UK economic policy;
3.)different EU national states have different economic structures requiring different economic national responses of policy.
Fraser Nelson, in the ‘Spectator’ blog, raises the question (to which he gives the right answer):
“Should Britain join the Euro?”
[Extract]:
“Right now, a furious row is being conducted behind the scenes: Brown wants lower rates for mortgage relief and Mervyn King wants, if anything, higher rates to curb inflation. But how great it is that we can have this decision in Britain, given how many homes and jobs can be saved by British control of British monetary policy. Otherwise, we would be waiting haplessly for the next decision from the ECB. It is a huge, huge sacrifice to make. And aside from saving a few bob in the foreign exchange, what would we gain? That is why, in my view, the case for UK Euro membership is dead and buried, and the only question is which country will be the first to pull out of this unhappy project.”
http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/764546/should-britain-join-the-euro.thtml
George R,
Interesting view from Fraser but surely the question is HOW could any country withdraw from this unhappy project when the governing elite are all rabidly pro Euro uber alles?
David Vance,
On the broader issue of how Britain could withdraw from EU membership, legally, all(!) that would be needed is for our Parliament to vote to repeal the European Communities Act 1972, according to interesting ‘Sovereignty’ blog:
“Britain is a Sovereign Nation”
http://www.sovereignty.org.uk/features/articles/sov.html
But, as you imply, there are few political leaders at present, of any political party in Europe who campaign against membership of the Euro, let alone membership of the EU.
http://www.englishdemocraticparty.org.uk/bulletin309.html
“On the day following Heath’s death, the Editor received an unexpected briefing from a UK intelligence source, who informed him about Heath’s treacherous background. A day later, another veteran, UK intelligence source conveyed ‘further and better particulars’, independently of the first source. No doubt this service was selected for this exposure because of the expectation that the previously withheld intelligence would be used. What these appalling revelations mean is that Britain’s entry into the EEC was fraudulent, which means that there is no problem leaving it.”
The BBC report referred to here, giving a page to Barroso on UK and Euro has now been amended to include criticisms from Hague (for Tories), and from Lafarge (for UKIP).
A new final section has been added to BBC report:
“The UK’s opposition Conservative Party opposes adopting the euro.
“Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said: ‘It is extraordinary that certain politicians are whispering to the EU Commission about joining the euro behind the British people’s backs.
‘Keeping the pound is vital for Britain’s economic future. We need interest rates that are right for Britain, not the rest of Europe. There are no circumstances in which the next Conservative government will propose joining the euro.
‘If Labour ministers still want to get Britain into the euro they should come out and say so. We will be putting questions to the government to find out what conversations have been going on.’
“The leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, said ‘the people who matter in Britain are the people, not the professional political class that Barroso is himself a member of’.
‘That ruling elite would love to bounce us into the euro and will grasp at any straw to do so, for it’s a step on the way to their dream and our nightmare, a federal superstate.
‘We’re told that some British politicians have said “If we had the euro, we would have been better off”. Whoever these people are we need to hunt them down and explain some simple economics to them.’
“He added that if Mr Barroso wanted to test the mood in Britain ‘then he can call for a referendum on both the euro and the Lisbon Treaty so that the people of Britain can tell him where to go’. ”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7757830.stm
Above: should be -‘Farage, for UKIP’.
Brown will try + sneak us further into the Eurozone whilst the recession is on.
He has now put us on a war footing about the economy and that means the Government can take extra chunks out of our liberty.
This lot love a crisis as it gives them the chance to infringe our liberties and then claim “don’t you know there’s a recession on!”
Watch these bastards with a microscope!!!!!
UP YOURS DELORS
F.O. BAROSS-O
Reminds me of the time that other popular Socialist Herr Hitler kindly liberated vast areas of Eruope and brought unwilling people into the kindly benevolence of the Third Reich.
Sure there were the usual wingers, but all good people who knew the facts agreed that a European federation was good for all.
Ah… the good ol’ days.. when there wer no annoying people like Guido to spoil the Socialist party.
Dont forget it`s called a beneficial crises.
Previously we were told that if we joined the Single Currency, now called EUro, wc would be liable for the debts of all the other currencies, and they would have a call on all our reserves.
So if Dear Leader and the Chancer do go on a spending spree, the other EUro countries will have to cover OUR debts.
It almost makes me want to join.
Al Beeb leftist scumbags still promoting the EU is it. At least the pricks have stopped calling us little englanders
The term “Little Englander” derives from the period of the Boer War. It was applied to those people — a small but vocal minority, regarding themselves as a elite — who thought that Britain should not maintain her role in the outside world, but should submerge herself in Europe.
As a description, that would apply very well to the modern-day BBC.
David;
I notice that the BBCs business editor, Robert Preston is now shouting loud and proud on the official Common Purpose website, about what a wonderful organisation Julia Middleton has created.
The BBC Unbiased? – I DON’T LIKE THEM!
I’ve an idea. Why don’t we let comedians run the country. They can’t possibly do any worse than the current lot but, at least we would all have a good laugh as well.
Two ways to report on an EU issue :-
Regurtitate the EU press release
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7758127.stm
Or
Ask some awkward questions
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/01/eu_cybercrime_strategy/
Why is it, when Britain persistently scuppers EU plans, and refuses to join the Euro, the EU doesn’t evict the UK from future integration?
Such punishment would be fitting.
I think we’ve been so naughty we shouldn’t get a slice of the pie. That’ll tell us.
You guys talk as though, like, the BBC is biased or something?
To be fair Dave – they would say that wouldn’t they?
Barosso is the devil incarnate in my opinion. I remember him and Sarkozy (another Bilderberg poodle) looking confused at each other after the Irish “no” vote. They both have the same line manager, the confused look was like two employees saying “who’s going to explain this to the boss”
The Pound would take more to dismantle than almost any currency except the dollar. The logistics of doing this are almost mind boggling, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
Who else? Is this a Mandelson leak to Barroso?
“Peter Mandelson facing questions about claim that UK will join euro”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/financialcrisis/3539475/Peter-Mandelson-facing-questions-about-claim-that-UK-will-join-euro.html
‘Iain Dale blogspot’:
“Leaked Email from Harman: No Tories or Lib Dems invited”
http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2008/12/leaked-email-from-harman-no-tories-or.html
Further to 8:17 pm above:
“A textbook example of Labour’s mendacity AND incompetence”
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2008/12/a-textbook-exam.html
according to this evening’s Evening Standard, Mandelsson is to blame for the Barroso mutterings.
Archduke – but of course, it had Lord Rhumba of Rio’s fingerprints all over it.
I supsect Lord Snakey Hips was also behind Damian Green’s arrest and Jacqui Smith’s current problems, which, God willing, look terminal.
Ever seen him and Jacqui at the same time?
Pounds collapsed against the dollar –rats are leaving sinking ship —I suspect either another interest rate drop or the money markets just don’t like the UK’s prospects –or both
Anyway I’m going to make a run for it- see if the guards notice
Two ways to report on an EU issue :-
HSLD | 01.12.08 – 6:14 pm | #
I guess The Register has access to greater levels of funding to enable it to investigate and report, as opposed to cut and paste?
‘Cranmer’ has:
“President Barroso: the ‘people who matter’ in Britain are reconsidering the euro”
[Extract]:
“But who are these people who matter?
Alas, it is a secret, and President Barroso is ‘not going to break the confidentiality of certain conversations’.
We do not matter, and therefore we are not permitted to know.”
http://archbishop-cranmer.blogspot.com/2008/12/president-barroso-people-who-matter-in.html
OT-ish: Just noticed the BBC have updated their misleading “Sweden ratifies EU Lisbon Treaty” article.
I complained about this, citing the 2005 BBC governors’ report that found the BBC must become “more demonstrably impartial” on reporting EU matters.
The original version inaccurately suggested only critics see the Lisbon Treaty as a modified version of the EU constitution. The article neglected to mention that HoC MPs, as well as EU and other European leaders, have also said that it is “substantially equivalent”.
Of course, it was only updated after the article had disappeared off the front page. Is it really too much to ask for the BBC to accurately report on EU issues first time?
Before I really crank an eyebrow at this on the back of a few other ‘developments’…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/newsnight/fromthewebteam/2008/12/tuesday_2_december_200
‘Paul Mason looks at how much worse things could get. And we speak to the French Finance minister about whether it’s high time the UK joined the Euro.
… can any economic experts opine whether this is just normal in the world of money (and reporting of same, for that matter), and hence I am being silly when ‘bums rush’ springs to mind.
Peter 6:25 pm
Yes; The pro-EU, pro-euro BBC ‘Newsnight’ get French
Finance Minister to decide British policy!!
BBC response: what political bias are you talking about?!!!
BBC ‘Newsnight’ political position on MUMBAI terror attacks, as portrayed by David Loyn(DL) and Jeremy Paxman(JP) tonight:
1.) avoid all mention that the massacre was undertaken by Islamic jihadists (DL, and JP);
2.) emphasis the ‘innocence’ of all Muslims visiting India (DL);
3.) suggest indeterminate historical responsibility for violence in India between Muslims and Hindus, without a detailed exploration of Islamic imperialism, as undertaken by K.S. Lal (DL);
4.) speak in a low accusatory voice with Indian High Commissioner, but suggest that Indian government is as responsible for Mumbai events as anyone in Pakistan (JP).
George R | 02.12.08 – 11:24 pm |
Actually I thought the Paxo interview with the Indian High Commissioner was, like the gangster in the Monty Python sketch, ‘vicious but fair’.
After faltering initially, the HC came out of it with his hair unrufffled. His early mistake was not to just come clean about the Hindu nutters that had perpetrated the massacre. It was his prevarication about using the ‘H’ word that riled Paxo. (Ironic, that!)
That said, what has been wrong with all the BBC’s constant raising of the context of the spectre of Hindu nationalism, is that, so far as we can see, the terrorists in this case were not Indians and so could never have suffered ‘oppression’ of any kind from Hindus. In fact, most of them had probably never even been to India before. And I doubt if a single one of them had ever encountered a Jew before they started torturing and killing them.
One chink of light at the end of the tunnel…. Paxman began the programme with the phrase ‘terrorist attack’.
If he’s on again tonight and hasn’t been fired, beeboids will know the ‘T’ word isn’t going to blow up in their faces if they so much as utter it.