You have probably all seen those old war films set in the Stalag Lufts where the POWs set up a fight to distract the guards whilst others dig their way to freedom.
The thought entered my mind, cynic that I am, that the fisticuffs between Jean-Claude Juncker in the EU’s corner and David Cameron in the UKIP-lite corner were similarly somewhat staged, in this case for the benefit of British Eurosceptics in order to make it look like Cameron was ‘tough on Europe’, especially as he negotiates reforms….something we are supposed to take note of ahead of the referendum as stated by…
former Conservative minister Bernard Jenkin who said Mr Cameron had “demonstrated that he is going to be a very tough negotiator” when it came to reform talks.
“He’s not going to be a pushover. And that will have an effect. That will strengthen his credibility with our European partners.”
More importantly it was also meant to strengthen his crediblity at home with the voters.
Even though we know Cameron is desperate to stay in Europe it is undoubtedly all complete nonsense, wild conspiracy and over active imagination on my part….
Still, the thought entered my mind again when I heard that Juncker had made an appointment that surprised everyone:
The UK could get some of what it wants in Europe – and it’s thanks to Jean-Claude Juncker
The City’s expectations that the UK would be given a standalone financial services brief were so low that it by and large opposed the job’s split from the Internal Market Portfolio. The shock in Brussels when it was announced that Lord Hill would be given this responsibility reverberated all the way to London.
Dealing with financial services isn’t the total of Lord Hill’s duties, either. He will also have to deliver Juncker’s grand aim of creating a ‘Capital Markets Union’. The implications for this are two-fold: Firstly, the UK will have significant scope to deepen the Single Market and unlock its full growth potential – which happens to be one of its key priorities for EU reform. Secondly, Britain’s Commissioner will have an enormous role to play in implementing the banking union as well as building on it.
This will go some way to mollifying concerns that the UK will be sidelined and disadvantaged by the deepening of Eurozone integration. Instead, through the work of Lord Hill, it will be central to these discussions.
Britain will be ‘central to the discussions’ on the deepening of Eurozone integration?
Hardly sounds like the UK has been sidelined or that Cameron had genuinely upset the EU bureaucrats does it? And ‘deepening Eurozone integration’? Isn’t that the complete opposite of what Cameron claimed he was fighting for?
And so far from the BBC headlines of June:
Cameron denies being ‘humiliated’ over EC Juncker vote
David Cameron has suffered “utter humiliation” over the nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission president, Ed Miliband has claimed.
The Labour leader told MPs the PM’s renegotiation strategy for the UK in Europe was now “in tatters”.
But the prime minister insisted he would work with Mr Juncker despite his opposition to him.
The BBC chattering heads were full of talk and laughter about Cameron’s defeat and humiliation, how it would isolate the UK and leave us without influence. Endless, endless, debate about how badly Cameron had dealt with this issue and just what the fall out would be.
The exact same arguments were made when Cameron vetoed the financial regulations in 2011 and strangely enough as soon as the dust settled Angela Merkel was in the headlines saying how close a relationship Germany and the EU had with the UK and how important it all was.
Once again the UK miraculously was still in the fight….indeed even as Juncker triumphed the Germans again made it clear what they thought…….
Wolfgang Schauble said his country would do everything in its power to keep Britain in the union
“Clearly, we have in many economic questions and regulatory questions a broad consensus,” he said.
“Historically, politically, democratically, culturally, Great Britain is entirely indispensable for Europe.”
It is curious that events in the real world are so often so very far from those forecast by the conclusions of endless BBC analysis and discussions. So much hot air, so much clever opinion, so much witless speculation by those with their fingers supposedly on the pulse filling the air waves with their expert insights, almost as if that’s all it was…purely something to fill the airwaves until events, dear boy, events take over and catch up, and of course, all that analysis is quietly set aside and they start again.
Would we miss BBC ‘political analysis’, such as it is? I doubt it.
Sack Peston, sack Robinsosn, sack Pienaar, sack the lot.
Online beer and more Top Gear, that’s what we want.
“The EU’s cynical ruse.
With the EU’s latest sly ruse, David Cameron, along with the rest of the political establishment, has been outfoxed by an age-old game of expectation management.”
By Jack Wharton.*
(The ‘right’s answer to O.Jones? See photo below.)
http://www.thecommentator.com/article/5218/the_eu_s_cynical_ruse
The Commission is made up of the Commission’s men and women, NOT representatives of their original countries.
The Commission Oath:
” Having been appointed as a Member of the European Commission by the European Council, following the vote of consent by the European Parliament
I solemnly undertake:
to respect the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the fulfilment of all my duties;
to be completely independent in carrying out my responsibilities, in the general interest of the Union;
in the performance of my tasks, neither to seek nor to take instructions from any Government or from any other institution, body, office or entity;
to refrain from any action incompatible with my duties or the performance of my tasks.
I formally note the undertaking of each Member State to respect this principle and not to seek to influence Members of the Commission in the performance of their tasks.
I further undertake to respect, both during and after my term of office, the obligation arising therefrom, and in particular the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance, after I have ceased to hold office, of certain appointments or benefits.”
Do you think for one moment that this “oath” has any influence on the way those taking it act? Would any undertaking entered into by the scum who end up at the top of the European greasy pole be worth the paper its written on or the words formally uttered? OTOH I can believe that the oath might reflect in general terms the loyalties of those taking it ie a loyalty to the EU and, moreso, to their fellow-parasites in the administration of the EU.
As to the play-acting around Juncker’s appointment. Dave knew that, whatever he did or said, Juncker had been earmarked for the job and duly was appointed. How they must have laughed behind closed doors as the media solemnly reported the “conflicts” over the appointment. I suspect it had all been quite carefully choreographed to help Dave over a bit of awkwardness with the Eurosceptics in his party and in the country. Much like the fuss in the media over Cameron’s non-existent “veto” of 2011 which was not a veto, just a gesture which didn’t stop the other 27 members of the EU signing up to a deal which negatively affects the City.
It’s true that (pro-EU) MP’s are Turkeys – who really do VOTE for Christmas! The EU wants a drastic reduction in the number of English MP’s. Many MPs seem blissfully unaware (of any main party) that the EU has already planned to reduce the number of England’s MP’s to 25 zoned regions of England). In addition such MP’s cannot vote on EU policy. Only the so called ‘elected’ MEP’s can vote at the EU and then also they cannot change EU policy either (thanks to QMV (coming this November) the chances are lot less in influencing anything English at all). So in short there will be no more Westminster MP debates, the House of Lords (and Lords) are all redundant (as English law will be subject exclusively to Napoleonic laws). The role for the few remaining MP’s will be unsure. MEP’s however will be much higher in the EU hierarchy of ‘benefits of Brussles’ hospitality with a small share of POLITBURO style politics. England as a free state will therefore cease to exist (we are already entering state federalism). Cameron knows his MP’s will then cease to exist as does Milliband, (Scotland is in the process). So MP’s like ‘Turkeys’ they will vote for their demise. MP’s will then have to follow EU guidelines to remain an MP. (EU will always prosecute dissent in future conflicts of interest). The powers exist already..
Please read this book (its free) and is a guided information of how the EU currently operates. Nigel Farage has long talked about this unaccountable nightmare facing our country.
http://www.th-eu-nit.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5093:free-ebook-democracy-in-a-federalised-europe&catid=12:unattributed&Itemid=51
This is an independent (cross party) and honest appraisal of false ‘democracy’ within the state of the EU (in true BBC tradition what is ‘portrayed’ is what the political ‘elite’ want us to believe.
More of the same: Reported 11th September 2014.
‘Britain yesterday surrendered 1,000 years of legal sovereignty in return for a European extradition treaty.
Judges and magistrates across the continent will be given the power to demand the arrest and handover of British citizens simply by naming them as suspects.
The pact sweeps away the right of people in this country to turn to the courts here for defence against charges abroad.’…
Comment: So if you take your dying child (refused treatment by the NHS) you will have the international arrest warrant applied BECAUSE that may reflect badly on the ….NHS or parties involved. No evidence required. There is no appeal. No Courts. There is the new presumption of guilt (Napoleonic Law applied) and this case was widely reported by the press and BBC as an ‘abduction’ when in fact it was urgent ‘salvation’ for the family concerned who eventually found a Polish hospital willing to do the Photo therapy (refused in the UK for reasons never disclosed).*
http://www.th-eu-nit.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11682:britain-gives-up-legal-sovereignty-over-european-treaty&catid=25:legislation&Itemid=2
* http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/01/world/europe/brain-cancer-boy/