One more day to EU President Klaus

In 14 hours the dangerous waters of the EU French Presidency will be safely behind for we disenfranchised European citizens. What must be the first priority for the Czech Presidency? In my view there is one single overriding priority - the basis for the June EU Parliamentary elections. According to British SE Region MEP Daniel Hannan, reported and linked previously on this blog, the Parliamentary bully boys in combination with the outgoing EU Commission are planning to hold these elections as set out in the non-ratified Lisbon Treaty. ANY EU PARLIAMENT SO ELECTED WOULD BE ILLEGAL - therefore any actions it takes will similarly be non-enforceable while any pretence of the rule of law remains within the EU. All sums spent on the EU Parliament to date are wasted as it remains merely a means to feed back money to the national political parties in payment for the sale of their citizens democratic rights. Continuing to channel yet more billions of Euros to a Parliament without even the pretence of legality by ratified Treaty would be a further intolerable affront to all the people of the EU. If there are to be European elections next June, they must be in accordance with the provisions of the Nice Treaty, quite different from the Lisbon provisions. This is surely the perfect area for President Klaus to signal that the Czech Presidency will bring real change and some return to legality and democracy!

Knighthoods become badges of shame in Brown's Britain

Twice this month I have found myself commenting on this blog how the title "Sir" before a name in a newspaper report nowadays increasingly foretells the reporting of some form of skulduggery in one form or another. Now on the last day of the year we learn that one of the prime villains in the financial betrayal of the nation, Treasury Chief and Big Buddy of the gormless PM Gordon Brown, Nick Macpherson, who at 49 is already pulling in a salary of one hundred and ninety four thousand pounds a year while organising the financial destruction of the country. Even The Times seems to find this a bit shameful according to its report on the matter, linked here.

Moronic Lammy MP PC (Continued)

Yesterday I slammed the moronic Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property (both of which he appears to be clearly lacking) for his performance on Celebrity Mastermind. (Won by Hairy Biker Dave Myers, here). I then made no mention of the fact that this clearly over-promoted Government Member and Privy Councilor chose as his specialist subject the boxing super star Muhammad Ali, (earlier called Cassius Clay) as at least he seemed to know his facts on the boxer's career, in spite of the natural questions which arise about whether such knowledge could be of any possible use in his ministerial responsibilities. Now it appears from a BBC source that crib sheets are available for the celebrities on their specialist subjects, as reported in The Guardian, linked here. I have suspected such BBC shenanigans for a while, as an 'Egghead' once seemed to imply the existence of crib sheets. There is more on the degradation of the BBC in the final paragraph of the posting that follows immediately below this.

1.9% Coincidence

The pound fell by one point nine per cent against the euro in a single day yesterday and continues its fall today. One point nine per cent is also the amount the housing market fell in November in the UK according to figures just released. Time to call the IMF who seem the only hope to restore value to the pound by raising interest rates and enforcing huge spending cuts .... pity they will have no authority to deal with the perpetrators who will go 'Scot Free' presumably as did Wilson, Callaghan and Healey! In a sickening interview on Radio 4 this morning, worthy of state broadcasters for Hitler, Stalin or Saddam Hussein the BBC demeaned itself and every single one of its employees by broadcasting the most gut-wrenching interview with the demented Prime Minister it is possible to imagine. Listen here if you have the stomach for it.

Two days to Klaus

Radio Free Europe has a good report on President Vaclav Klaus who will take over as EU President in just two days time. It describes how he has recently been at loggerheads with outgoing EU President Sarkozy of France: The sparring continued, with Klaus telling Czech Television on December 24 that Sarkozy and politicians like him were actually "anti-European" for not respecting the continent's diversity of views. Another unusual line of complaint about the EU has been the car license plates as reported here: Speaking to RFE/RL last year, Klaus illustrated his point by recalling two cars he'd seen at a traffic light. One had an old Czech license plate, with "CZ" in large letters; the other, an EU plate, where the "CZ" sign was much smaller: "The EU is trying to make the letters that symbolize our state as small as possible. You can't even tell from a distance if there's an NL for the Netherlands written on there, or an SK for Slovakia. You can't tell. You either need binoculars or you need to be driving right next to the car," Klaus said. "This is a textbook example of the attempt to suppress, to rub out the basic entity that has formed the European continent and has given this continent its characteristic features," he added. Elsewhere in this morning's press is a report that Lisbon Treaty opponents will present a report on the consequences of the Constitutional Treaty in the Czech Senate in January before February's parliamentary debate on ratification.

Democracy versus Sovereignty

A letter from Paris this morning to the Irish Independent, linked here, nicely states the EU dilemma, a quote:

The Lisbon Treaty is neither a literary nor a political masterpiece and its attempt to improve democratic accountability in what is still essentially a union of states and not of people serves only to show that the EU can promote democracy or accept national sovereignty but cannot successfully do both at the same time. The EU we have and will continue to have is no more or less than a mechanism for permanent negotiation among member states which enables them to make decisions, generally based on compromise, and ensures that they observe what they have decided. Although the individual member states are democracies, the process by which they together reach and implement decisions is not, and cannot be, fully democratic.

The only honest position for purists, such as Mr Arnold, who want full respect for both national sovereignty and democracy, is to support Ireland leaving the EU, since, by definition, the EU, being a union of states, cannot reconcile what are, in the European context, two conflicting aspirations.

I particularly like the brutal honesty of the author, a Mr James Leavy, of Rue de la Baume, evidenced with these few words "The EU we have and will continue to have.." showing the brutal contempt the EU federalist fanatics hold for any who argue for an alternative way.

The reality contained in the second paragraph of the quotation above holds true as the EU chooses to deepen and broaden into areas not desired by the people of Europe. Having attempted to grab a portion of Sovereignty (which itself is indivisible), and asserting they have been successful in that aim, they are now determined to obtain the whole thus crushing the democracy of the then non-existing democratic nation states. Libertas, in arguing for a smaller concentration of powers in a brief constitution, must confront this dilemma very soon by defining exactly which parts of the present EU it finds unacceptable and setting out the exact areas where a non-democratic Treaty bound group of Democratic Nation States can allow a trading EU to exert its authority. Until that is accomplished, I agree with Mr Leavy, that withdrawal from the EU, in my case speaking for the interests of the UK, remains the only sane option.

David Lammy MP is a Moron

David Lammy MP Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property appeared on Celebrity Mastermind last evening and displayed his widespread ignorance (as Blunkett before) for the entire nation to wonder at his overreaching stupidity in believing he had the qualities for either the programme or for the responsibilities of his ministerial post! A twelve year old should, with any knowledge of British history or a general grasp of how things run, be well aware that Henry V is unlikely to be the heir to Henry VIII. How about the surname of the "Marie and Pierre" couple, world famous for being the early pioneers in radiation research being "Antoinette"? Should not most twelve year olds be aware of the fact they were called "Curie", or knowing their ignorance when asked merely reply "Pass"? Not Britain's Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, however, he answered "Antoinette" and "Henry V" among a welter of other passes in the General Knowledge section of Celebrity Mastermind last evening, which may be viewed from here. Would Henry IX perhaps have been more logical than Henry V, albeit equally incorrect? The Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property quite properly finished at the bottom of the competition. How can a Moron such as he, possibly hold down a position such as his, without the blind and dumb concurrence of the electorate of a despoiled nation. What kind of political party would reward such a lowly intellect with such a position were it not intent on the deliberate undermining of the nation it rules? One with the same blind failings as the Hamas in Gaza perhaps?

Restoring economic stability

William Rees-Mogg in The Times today has an interesting article, here, on the present chaos referring back to the lessons of 1931, to which I posted the following comment with very limited space: "Fannie Mae was an attempt to cure the Great Depression and is arguably a spark for the greater one now developing. Fixed exchange rates cannot be defended following decades of incompetent governance. Restore stable monetary values against finite items such as land. That alone can offer security." I have commented often on this blog regarding Fannie Mae and more detailed thoughts on economic solutions to the present ongoing disaster in particular in the posting of 7th August, linked here, titled "Needed - A new Bretton Woods Agreement", from which comes this: Hard-working and comparatively vacation-starved US families who became used to watch their work rewards grow through their 401(k) pension schemes before the Clinton stock market bust have now watched with dismay as the alternative calculator of land and property values rapidly head south as accentuated by the plight of the formerly solid institutions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The crying need for a stable calculator for value for America's hard-working families could surely not be any clearer or yet more urgent than with the coming election. In spite of the WTO, Nixon's precedent of a temporary import surcharge will not be something to be easily ignored. George W Bush, whose Presidency already appears likely to be viewed by history as far more successful than contemporary pundits might ever have imagined now has the chance to leave a legacy of a secure and strengthened dollar as his overarching achievement for posterity. Fixing a value for the dollar requires no international agreement, it can be accomplished by the best brains and economists from across the parties, political spectrum and diverse interests of the nation. With modern vast number crunching computing power it could be as complex and regularly reviewed as any might wish or as simple and eternal as the value of gold or the wheat yield of land. Anything is possible - anything is essential. In spite of the posting's title what I was proposing was something quite different from the original Bretton Woods agreement and initially only involved the US Dollar, I quote again: Fixing a value for the dollar requires no international agreement, it can be accomplished by the best brains and economists from across the parties, political spectrum and diverse interests of the nation. With modern vast number crunching computing power it could be as complex and regularly reviewed as any might wish or as simple and eternal as the value of gold or the wheat yield of land. The same solution could be available for the Pound Sterling, but a fixed currency demands honest politicians, while the incoming Obama administration might offer Americans such a prospect, none such seem to exist in the UK!

Treasures from the threads - Number twenty-eight.

In response to another limp, lank and lame article in the Sunday Telegraph by the vapid leader of the UK Conservative party, here, comes this :-

Dr Jonathan Wilson Esher Surrey

on December 28, 2008

at 09:17 AM

MR. CAMERON It pains me to write this but you still do not �get it� Don�t misunderstand me - you have pointed out the irresponsible borrowing of Mr. Brown, his lack of fiscal prudence and his barefaced deceitfulness. These are facts that the electorate have now well understood. What they are yearning to hear from you is something that goes much further than the obvious. But what do they hear from you? Simply the repeated phrases �responsible government� and �responsible business� Only an accountant would build an election platform on the word �responsible� Being responsible merely allows you to be in the race, it certainly will not win the race for you. But it is worse than that. You do not go on and truly define what you mean by responsible government. You do mention fiscal responsibility as a dimension of responsible government and chasing down the bad guys in corporate UK. But David do you really believe that these issues are election winners? Again they allow you to be in the race, but of themselves they will not win you the race. No David, the electorate wants to hear you take up the clarion call of the freedom of the individual as against the size and oppression of the State. But this is where it becomes increasingly obvious that you do not �get it� What is the evidence/? The evidence is that there is no evidence in your article that you see the State as Labour has constructed it as the essence of the problem. You do not seriously attack the size of the State or go on to defining the role of the State and thereby scope out the magnitude of the economic waste currently being caused by the State. The chilling conclusion that one is left with is that you endorse big government � maybe a little smaller than Labour would have it but not by much � which still leaves it as the elephant in the room. And yet standing up for individual freedom (and yes responsibility) is not merely another factor that qualifies you to be in the race but indeed is the very factor that will guarantee your victory in the race. Your economic message lacks a genuine roadmap back to prosperity that most of the electorate is waiting to hear from you. That roadmap starts with the individual and their freedoms.

Bishops berate Brown's Moral Corruption

I did not expect over this Christmas holiday to be finally joined by the Bishops of the Church of England in my long running critique of the abominable New Labour Government but this morning all the news reports seem to repeat the criticism by five such first seen in the headline of the Sunday Telegraph, linked here, as follows:

Bishops deliver damning verdict on Labour rule

I have said more than enough over the years and months about this devious, self-serving, amoral, corrupt, decadent and obnoxious group of humanity that composes the present Cabinet and almost all others of the past recent years, the Bishops are somewhat more circumspect but note these quotes: The Bishop of Manchester accused Labour of being “beguiled by money” and “morally corrupt”. The Rt Rev Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham, said ministers had not done enough to help the poor.

“Labour made a lot of promises, but a lot of them have vanished into thin air,” he said. “We have not seen a raising of aspirations in the last 13 years, but instead there is a sense of hopelessness.

“While the rich have got richer, the poor have got poorer. When a big bank or car company goes bankrupt, it gets bailed out, but no one seems to be bailing out the ordinary people who are losing their jobs and seeing their savings diminished.”

The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, the Bishop of Manchester, condemned Labour for encouraging people to get further into debt. “The Government has acted scandalously. This is not just an economic issue, but a moral one. It’s about what we value,” he said.

“The Government believes that money can answer all of the problems and has encouraged greed and a love of money that the Bible says is the root of all evil. It is morally corrupt because it encourages people to get into a lifestyle of believing they can always get what they want.”

Bishop McCulloch said New Labour was guilty of pursuing the policies championed by Margaret Thatcher, which the Church condemned in its landmark 1985 report, Faith in the City. It blamed Thatcherite policies for the growth of spiritual and economic poverty in Britain’s inner cities.

“Both administrations have been beguiled by money,” said Bishop McCulloch.

“It is ironic that under a Labour government we have the poor feeling they have been betrayed and the gap is getting ever greater. Any government of integrity would have exercised restraint, but this has been sadly lacking.”

The Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, the Church’s Bishop for Urban Life and Faith and also the Bishop of Hulme, said: “The Government isn’t telling people who are already deep in debt to stop overextending themselves, but instead is urging us to spend more.

“That is morally suspect and morally feeble. It is unfair and irresponsible of the Government to put pressure on the public to spend in order to revive the economy.”

Bishop Lowe suggested that it was a cynical ploy to improve the economy in time for the next general election.

“They are trying to take the credit for this, but are playing with people’s livelihoods in the process.” The bishop commissioned a Church report, Moral, But No Compass, published earlier this year, which said Labour had failed society and marginalised the Church. What were these same Bishops preaching over the past few years one wonders, while this blog has sometimes been an almost lone voice in calling for a drastic re-appraisal of the direction of travel? In the same paper David Cameron notes that Britain is on the edge of bankruptcy.... DUH!!!! and only now he has so noticed!!!!!!

The Queen and the Lisbon Treaty

Extracts from the Queen's Christmas message to the nation have been issued to the media. Reuters link. Amazingly there appears to be no mention of the part played by Her Majesty in the signing of the Lisbon Treaty and its lodging in Rome even after its legitimate rejection (and thus total invalidity) by the people of Ireland. The Christmas message from the Queen to the people of the British nation is the single annual occasion where the Queen addresses her subjects directly and in accordance with her own script and without any other political input. The Queen owes the British people an explanation for her actions during the past year with regard to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty on which all political parties promised the British people an enabling referendum prior to any ratification. The consequences of the lack of such a referendum are worsened by its rejection elsewhere. In my view the Queen also owes the nation an apology for her actions in this matter notwithstanding the terms of the explanation for her actions. I suggest the Queen now reconsiders her prerecorded message and reverts to the earlier live broadcast format in which she can directly address her apparent handover of Sovereignty to foreigners without the promised consent of the nation.

61 per cent fewer UK idiots in 1 year!

More good news - fewer British first time fools ..... Hooray! "The British Bankers Association (BBA) said that just 17,773 mortgages approvals were approved during the month. This was down 14 per cent on October but down 61 per cent on November last year." Link

A Bright Future for Land Rover

Having been a doom sayer over many years for the economic crash that we are now experiencing this blog has recently been trying to find cheerful matters to report to maintain its role as the antithesis of the state-controlled mainstream media. Hence the absence of any posting last Sunday and Monday when gloom seem to be the sole available theme and the car industry in particular the latest centre for doomsday scenarios! Good news, however, lies behind the headlines for Land Rover and their West Midlands suppliers. The Snatch Land Rovers designed for the use of security forces in Northern Ireland have been subject to much criticism (mainly on the EU Referendum blog) for their continued use in Iraq and Afghanistan where their lack of protection against roadside bombs has allowed successive British Defence Ministers to continue the senseless slaughter of considerable numbers of brave British soldiers and marines. The Snatch Land Rovers in their original role are however ideal for the suppression of civil dissent in urban environments. Greece now shows, following the apparently deliberate destruction of the West's economic system, how widespread such dissent is likely to be as money runs out and the powerfully placed individuals who brought us to this point strive to protect their ill got pensions and perks amongst massive austerity. With a crippled pound sterling the Land Rover maker will NOW be able to adapt and provide anti-riot vehicles for the entire EU block at prices unbeatable by any foreign competition. Jaguar, on the other hand, might best consider a low-cost armoured vehicle mass production run for the transport of the lower levels of the privileged public employee classes who even with their massively unearned incomes will be still unable to afford the hugely expensive Mercedes alternative.

English Democrats prepare for Dirty Tricks

Bexley British Labour Party 31 Sidcup Hill Sidcup Kent DA14	Bexley Conservative & Unionist Party 17 Church Road Bexleyheath Kent DA7	Bexley British Liberal Democrats 120 Dorchester Avenue Bexley Kent DA5
Dartford British Labour Party 99 Kent Road Dartford, Kent DA1 2AJ	Dartford Conservatives & Unionist Party 1st Floor Westgate House Spital Street Dartford Kent DA1	Gravesham & Dartford British Liberal Democrats 5 Station Road, Northfleet Gravesend Kent DA11 9DY

Dear Sirs

Re: East Wickham, London Borough of Bexley (Kent)

By-Election 22 January 2009 Campaign

I am giving notice that the English Democrats are fielding a candidate for the above election, the papers have already been accepted by Bexley Council our candidate is Laurence Williams.

I am writing to notify you of several unfortunate incidents that have occurred in the neighbouring Borough of Dartford, which we do not want to see repeated in this campaign.

Incidents

In the 2007 Council Elections, Labour Cllr Mrs Deborah Stoate, wife to local Labour MP Dr Howard Stoate, whilst canvassing on the doorstep to an English Democrats activists in West Hill Ward, referred to the "English Democrats as a “fascist Party"

This was backed up in a BBC interview at approximately 4am in the morning when a Labour Spokesman referred to the English Democrats as a "Far Right Wing Party"

Approximately 3 months ago Dartford Council Leader Cllr Jeremy Kite, requested a meeting with one of our Dartford Activists. Whilst in the Council Offices to discuss the Kidd Legacy Land, Cllr Kite referred to the English Democrats Dartford Chairman and former councillor Mike Tibby as "a dictator" and Steven Uncles, English Democrats South East Area Chairman as a “Fascist Racist".

The English Democrats campaign for an English Parliament, hence our party is pro-parliament and pro-democracy, which to anyone who has had a basic education, is aware that, this is totally opposite to the meaning of the word fascist.

The English Democrats is an inclusive party, with English, Scottish, Welsh, Asian etc members and candidates.

Since these incidents, the English Democrats have invested in legal advice to understand the 1976 Race Relations Act.

To make prejudicial comments and statements regarding the English Democrats party and English Democrats Party’s, Officers, Candidates & Members is likely to be in contravention to the 1976 Race Relations Act, since it is an individual’s or group’s protected right to express their English Nationality.

The English Democrats give notice to all Political Parties & the local and national media, that repetition of this behaviour will not be tolerated, and could result in legal action.

The English Democrats have already demonstrated that they will successfully use the 1976 Race Relations Act, and have done so against “The Royal Armouries at Leeds” which paid the English Democrats £5,200 compensation, following an incident where a hall booking was cancelled simply because of the word “English” in the name “English Democrats”

Finally I would like to confirm that the English Democrats are happy to debate with the Conservative & Unionist Party, Labour Party & Liberal Democrats Party as to why:-

In Scotland:

1	Expenditure on Children’s School Meals is £1, and in England it is 37p
2	There are no University fees for Further Education for Scottish students, yet these remain for English Students (even those studying in Scotland), however they are exempt for Welsh, French, German etc students
3	Residential Care for the Elderly is free in Scotland - in England, Old People have to sell their house, and use all their savings before they receive help
4	In Scotland prescriptions scheduled to be free for all – however in England most adults still pay and in Wales prescriptions are already free.

Scotland has the ability, via the Scottish Parliament to boost its income tax revenue to allow for different Scottish spending priorities, yet Scotland continues to receive vast sums of English Tax payers money each year in subsidy – why is this money being spent in Scotland and not England ?

We look forward to an election campaign where we discuss the issues relevant to the people of England and East Wickham Ward.

Yours faithfully

Steven Uncles

Electoral Agent to Laurence Williams

English Democrats

Old words of truth!

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.'

Thomas Jefferson 1802

Gordon Brown = Ramsay Macdonald

Yesterday the pound crashed by an amount not seen since 1931. Only by Brown being removed can the fall now be halted with all the horrifying implications such a collapse would involve. Wikipedia opens its account of the Labour politician Ramsay Macdonald as follows:

James Ramsay MacDonald (12 October 1866 – 9 November 1937) was a British politician and twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He rose from humble origins to become the first Labour Prime Minister in 1924.

His first government lasted less than one year. Labour returned to power in 1929 but was soon overwhelmed by the crisis of the Great Depression, which split the Labour government. In 1931 he formed a "National Government" in which a majority of MPs were from the Conservatives. As a result, he was expelled from the Labour Party who accused him of 'betrayal'.

Czech Lisbon Treaty arguments by B. Cunningham of The Prague Post

Four main issues are set out in this good analysis in English, linked here. The proposed reduction of Commissioners is argued as if the agreement in the EU Council last week had not taken place - a legal necessity in my view. The main worry in my mind "Democracy" or more accurately "its destruction" is put forth as follows: DemocracyIssue: Voters in the Netherlands and France rejected the EU constitution (the precursor to the Lisbon Treaty) in referendum in 2005. The Lisbon Treaty requires unanimous support from all member states, which it lacks in Ireland, where it was rejected by voters, the only citizens to vote on the Lisbon Treaty. A second vote in Ireland, now slated for late 2009, is a rejection of the democratic process. Pro: The Irish “no” vote was based largely on misinformation and domestic political turmoil, including the resignation of Prime Minister Bertie Ahern amid corruption allegations. Public opinion polls show that most Irish do support the treaty. It will be impossible for the EU to operate effectively on the international stage without further streamlining its processes. The treaty is complex and hard to explain to voters. Democratically elected leaders are elected to make decisions on behalf of constituents. Con: The Lisbon Treaty is merely a redrafting of the rejected constitution, and its ratification process (largely via national parliaments) is designed to bypass voters. Europeans don’t want further consolidation. Each time voters are asked to decide, they oppose reforms that would further integrate member states. A call for a second vote in Ireland is proof that politicians are not listening to democratic voices in Europe. Elsewhere the Czech Prime Minister makes the case that the main hurdle in Parliament is likely to be the radar treaty with the USA, read here.

Brown borrows to pose as "Good Samaritan"

Official figures showed public sector net borrowing rose to almost 16 billion pounds in November -- well above expectations and the highest monthly total since records began in 1993. (Record UK Government Borrowing - Reuters). The Government cannot "walk by on the other side" when people are suffering, Gordon Brown said in a biblical rebuke to the Archbishop of Canterbury. (Press Association). Since when did the Good Samaritan rob his fellow citizens and impoverish future generations to perform a simple act of Charity? Surely it is long past time the Labour Party removed this disgusting individual from power?

The insanity of spending!

Guido Fawkes blog has a great video from Senator Fred Thompson on the insanity running amok amongst the leaders of the US and UK governments and economists, click here to view!

A Warning from President Klaus

Watch this video warning dating back to November a year ago and then watch the one immediately beneath this posting when Nigel Farage of UKIP confronts President Sarkozy over the recent treatment of President Klaus by "tormented" senior members of the Strasbourg Parliament. An apt quotation from Ramon Lull, who was stoned to death for his preachings "If thou speaketh truth, O fool, thou will be beaten by men tormented, reproved and killed".

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Thank heavens the EU will be under the Presidency of this so sane and sensible individual for the next six months!

UKIP's Nigel Farage offers President Sarkozy some home truths!

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A Thirst for Revenge!

Matthew Parris in his column in The Times today probably catches the public mood regarding the City tricksters who have brought us to this pass as follows:

To the tumbrils, I say. I want show trials. The public are in for great grief next year. A consolation would be to see some of these cuff-linked Catos of conventional City wisdom carted through the streets and pelted by the crowd. I want TV interrogations before jeering studio audiences.

I want to see hedge-fund managers tipped into cage fights with naked Gypsies; bank managers wrestle with lions in the O2 arena; failed regulators thrown to alligators in the Royal Docks; short sellers in pits of snakes; and distinguished City economists try their luck with sharks. They've had their heyday, their bonuses, their Porsches, their fine wines and oafish ostentation - they've had their fun. Now for ours.

To the guillotine!

Car disaster

"But the final decision rests with Gordon Brown, who is said to be undecided." Report on rescue of Jaguar/Land Rover

EU Plan to cost Britain 25 Billion Pounds - Bruges Group Study

The new report on the Credit Crunch problems for the EU issued by the Bruges Group and written by Damon Lambert titled "The EU's Credibility Crunch" may be read online from this link. The final paragraph sums up its forty odd pages pretty well as follows: Contrary to the EU’s claims, the economic crisis does not show the ever greater need for the EU. Instead, the EU is shown either to be at best an expensive irrelevance to economic recovery and at worst, responsible for many of the factors that both cause the downturn and impede the recovery. Its time the role and responsibilities of this undemocractic body were re-examined and redrawn.

Brown's nascent Gestapo EXPOSED!

Some of the truth and reality behind New Labour's growing police state has been exposed by the head of Britain's Transport Police this evening, according to a tail-piece on Channel Four News, more to follow -------!!! This follows apologies in the House of Commons yesterday from the Home Secretary Smith and today from Balls the Childish Minister who epitomises his name and Ministry.

WSJ slams EU Democratic Deficit

The editorial from the respected Wall Street Journal may be read from here. The leader concludes: Libertas's announcement suggests the potential for other pan-European parties -- and, in turn, real pan-European debates about pan-European issues. There, not in revote after revote of poorly conceived treaties, lies an end to Europe's democratic deficit. Open Europe reports in its daily e-mail that President Sarkozy is apparently admitting the weak legal basis for the proposed Irish compromise:

PA reports that EU President Nicolas Sarkozy has admitted that "the problem is the legal form of those political commitments." He went on to say that an "Irish protocol" would be added onto Croatia's Accession Treaty, adding that the EU was not interested in re-ratification because, "we have no interest in solving one problem to create 26 others."

The final failure of twentieth century Anglo-Saxon market capitalism!

The Times reports on the failure of the Wall Street Madoff Fund in quite enough detail linked here. How far have we traveled from "Our word is our bond"? The rot began in the seventies when the oil companies' safety net arrangements which were designed to protect independent Libyan oil producers from the arm-twisting of Colonel Ghadaffi broke down and the shipping charters made by one such of these independents were re-negotiated in what became a forerunner to widespread re-negotiation of other types of contractual arrangements following the resultant massive rise in oil prices. Watching Jeff Randall's interview last evening on Sky News with the snake-like head of Barclays Bank I was reminded of another first-hand experience of the decline in standards and morals. In the early years of this century a family member returned to the UK to attend University. I forwarded funds to my Barclays account, barely used over many years, to draw upon to provide the necessities of student life. On arriving at the local branch I was shocked to learn the account had been closed and the transferred funds apparently had mysteriously disappeared with no notification sent back to my transmitting bank. I eventually had these funds returned but does this not speak volumes on the standards set at the top which verge upon the criminal but apparently percolate quite far down the organisational structure. Had I been the recipient of money from a third party I might never have learned of the account's closure and my consequent loss. Where next, as I quipped in a recent post, a knighthood these days seems to be carried as a badge of dishonour, it is truth and honour that has to be restored, but this blog has been stating that for years with no results - try typing "truth" in the search bar at the top of this blog! For once David Cameron in his speech yesterday to Reuters, here, seemed to be heading in a valid policy direction why not go the whole way and admit that we must return to the principle that "Our word is our bond" and even "a contract is a contract".

The Scotsman argues with this blog - Lisbon is now Invalid

The article confirming what this blog has been trumpeting for days, namely that the agreement at last week's EU Council invalidates the earlier ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by all the other nation states up to this date is titled:

Avenue de Beaulieu: The View from Europe

It is linked from here and begins with the following:

Published Date: 16 December 2008

HERE is a conundrum. How is it possible for the Lisbon Treaty to be modified substantially – so it can be accepted by the Irish – without the rest of the European Union's members having the right to re-ratify what will then be a changed document?

Declan Ganley, the man behind the Irish No vote last June, thought this legal contradiction was a treaty killer. "Not a jot or title – not a comma – of the text of Lisbon can be changed, for otherwise it would be legally a new treaty ...................................." That statement is an unarguable fact, any EU-wide fudge which might emerge would have no legal substance in any impartial system! Somewhere within the national legal jurisdiction of one of the countries of the EU such a FACT will be upheld!

Libertas seeks Maltese candidates

The report from the Times of Malta is here. Significantly the report states that Libertas is planning to run in ALL EU former Nation States!

EU Council Conclusion - 12th December 2008

On the Lisbon Treaty, for the avoidance of doubt, the EU Council has stated (PDF Link) the following: I. The Treaty of Lisbon 1. The European Council re-affirms that the Treaty of Lisbon is considered necessary in order to help the enlarged Union to function more efficiently, more democratically and more effectively including in international affairs. With a view to enabling the Treaty to enter into force by the end of 2009, the European Council, while respecting the aims and objectives of the Treaties, has defined the following path. 2. On the composition of the Commission, the European Council recalls that the Treaties currently in force require that the number of Commissioners be reduced in 2009. The European Council agrees that provided the Treaty of Lisbon enters into force, a decision will be taken, in accordance with the necessary legal procedures, to the effect that the Commission shall continue to include one national of each Member State. 3. The European Council has carefully noted the other concerns of the Irish people presented by the Taoiseach as set out in Annex 1 relating to taxation policy, family, social and ethical issues, and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) with regard to Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality. The European Council agrees that, provided Ireland makes the commitment in paragraph 4, all of the concerns set out in the said statement shall be addressed to the mutual satisfaction of Ireland and the other Member States. The necessary legal guarantees will be given on the following three points:. • nothing in the Treaty of Lisbon makes any change of any kind, for any Member State, to the extent or operation of the Union's competences in relation to taxation; • the Treaty of Lisbon does not prejudice the security and defence policy of Member States, including Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality, and the obligations of most other Member States; • a guarantee that the provisions of the Irish Constitution in relation to the right to life, education and the family are not in any way affected by the fact that the Treaty of Lisbon attributes legal status to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights or by the justice and home affairs provisions of the said Treaty. In addition, the high importance attached to the issues, including workers' rights, set out in paragraph (d) of Annex 1 will be confirmed. 4. In the light of the above commitments by the European Council, and conditional on the satisfactory completion of the detailed follow-on work by mid-2009 and on presumption of their satisfactory implementation, the Irish Government is committed to seeking ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by the end of the term of the current Commission. Item 2 above makes the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty by other member states INVALID!

Libertas update

The London Sunday Times has an interesting article with more detail on the groups plans linked here. The most significant item for me is the point made that the Mouvement pour la France might run 72 candidates in conjunction or with Libertas. This movement is presently sitting with the UKIP in the European Parliament and has been gaining profile steadily in recent contests under its leader Philippe de Villiers who was reportedly recently at the dinner in Dublin for President Vaclav Klaus.

Euro elections next year to have no legal basis!

An extraordinary claim, clearly illustrating the complete contempt held by the EU for any hint of legality (most recently witnessed by an unauthorised deployment of an EU naval force to the Gulf of Aden in the past days) is in a well written article by Daniel Hannan MEP in today's Sunday Telegraph, linked here, as quoted herewith: ...the European elections on June 4 will be fought on the basis of the number of MEPs that would have been authorised by Lisbon, not the ones provided for by the current treaties.

HBOS merged into doomed Lloyds

The Guardian reports the meeting where the castrated shareholders of HBOS went along with those of Lloyds in agreeing the merger of the two banks which the mazed mainstream media insist on predicting will be a "Superbank" but in fact will result in years of debts for Britain's bankrupt mainly non-voting electorate and the nation's future taxpaying generation. Shareholders contemplating their long term losses and future bleak outlet are unlikely be comforted by this report of further management excesses involving a trip to New York for 100 branch managers and their wives that is in the Scotsman this morning linked here.

Libertas launched across the EU and Council conclusion

The European Voice summarises the conclusions here and the extremely woolly and vague announcement from Libertas from UPI is here. I will discuss both in more detail when such is available.

Lisbon Treaty as ratified is invalid under Irish compromise

Reports coming from Brussels indicate the EU is once again involved in illegality. Czech President Klaus confirms this reading of the situation as reported here. This blog has spelled out again and again how it is an impossibility for Ireland to retain its Commissioner under the existing Nice Treaty but totally impossible under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty as ratified across the Continent. See the following quotes and links: On 23 July, 2008, linked here I summarised: The suggestion is that the European Council can immediately and deliberately override a specific clause in the TFEU, that Commissioners post 2014 be selected on a basis of rotation, permanent members one from each member state cannot possibly be deemed to be rotating therefore the intent of the Treaty, as ratified by Parliaments all across the EU is immediately trashed. If this happens Lisbon effectively means the rule of law is finished within the EU post Lisbon. Will the Irish really agree to that? Let us remember that much of the claimed raison d'etre for the Constitutional/Reform/Lisbon process was the streamlining of the EU Commission. On a comment to that post I further expanded: A number equal to 100 pct of the member states immediately negates the rotation and as the Treaties have equal force creates an impossibility. As I suggested yesterday on this blog Nice allows Ireland to claim a perpetual Commissioner by smaller MS being forced to rotate between themselves but the drafting of the TFEU post Lisbon prohibits this solution. I also blogged at length on this question on 22nd July, with links to EU press statements and explanations, linked here and again on 30th July, here. The draft conclusion that I have seen for this Council clearly states this legal impossibility as follows: On the composition of the Commission, the European Council recalls that the Treaties currently in force require that the number of Commissioners be reduced in 2009. The European Council agrees that provided the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, a decision will be taken, in accordance with the necessary legal procedures, to the effect that the Commission shall continue to include one national of each Member State. I will await the definitive and final version with great interest but doubt this bunch of fixers can legally disentangle themselves from this giant fraud solely designed to rob most Europeans of their democracy! After all it destroys the main reason given for the Lisbon Treaty itself namely streamlining and efficiency!

Belgium's Al-Qaeda plotters and the EU Leaders not fit to be martyrs

Thank goodness the Al-Qaeda plotters were arrested before they could harm one hair of the head of any of the 27 EU Leaders assembled in Brussels for their summit, read the IHT report from here. Earlier yesterday these same leaders had shown their complete disdain for democracy in adopting a measure that will require the Irish people to rerun the referendum on the already rejected Lisbon Treaty. Read today's The Times editorial from here on that outrage. Any kind of early death, let alone one with the slightest hint of glory or sacrifice, is not to be wished for democracy destroying individuals such as these. Rather the people of the EU must hope and try to deliver a long and difficult retirement in penury for each Leader attending this week's summit, thus they can contemplate over many years the full enormity of their oppressive plans for some 300 million once free and democratically ruled fellow Europeans.

Libertas offers hope to the Trampled Territories of the EU

The following is from a report in the Irish Independent, linked here:

By Fionnan Sheahan Political Editor

Thursday December 11 2008

DECLAN Ganley will today signal his intention to run in the European elections in the North-West constituency.

The No To Lisbon campaigner is also expected to announce the launch of Libertas as a pan-European party to contest next June's elections in several EU countries.

The Libertas chief will steal some of the limelight from Taoiseach Brian Cowen's EU Summit on the Lisbon Treaty by announcing his plans to the European media at his new office in Brussels.

The group is tipped to turn the European elections into a referendum by also standing candidates in other EU countries, including the UK.

Aside from Mr Ganley, it is not yet clear who will be lining out for the group.

UK Exports fall despite collapsing Pound

The following is a quote from Euronomics linked here: ...in the U.K., exports fell by 3.5%, and in Germany exports fell by a more modest 0.5%.

U.K. exports declined despite the pound's rapid decline in value against other major currencies. Against the euro, it has fallen to an all time low of GBP0.8737 Monday from an average of GBP0.80 in mid-July.

"Slowing global growth outweighed the beneficial impact of the weaker pound," said Howard Archer, chief U.K. and European economist for IHS Global Insight.

Even Irwin Stelzer, Rupert Murdoch's guru, has now turned on the demented and ignorant Gordon Brown in the Daily Telegraph, here. As Woolies is about to close, the pound continues to plunge and even our EU partners stand amazed and outspoken at the Government's incompetence..... surely UK citizens will now awake and take steps to rid themselves of the cause of their growing miseries?

EU Doomed - Ireland to be compelled to vote again!

Associated Press reports the above headline as an EU decision, the Reuters report is here. When history comes to write on the collapse of the EU I suspect this supremely anti-democratic moment will figure large as one of the causes for its demises. Outrageous and disgraceful, all 300 million citizens of the EU should be appalled!

Earlier bailouts to need more billions

The following disturbing quotes are from "Gold News"linked here: Today's Telegraph newspaper reports that UK banks – now part-nationalized by the socialist Labour government – will need fresh tax-payer funds if they are to deliver both greater lending to households and business as well as improved "core capital" ratios, as demanded by discredited City watchdog the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The Financial Times says UK chancellor Alistair Darling may extend tax-funded guarantees to business loans and credit in a bid to revive corporate lending. But "banks are being asked to lend significantly more without fully pricing in the risks," says Simon Ward, economist at the ailing New Star investment group. "That puts their capital positions in jeopardy and may mean they need a further capital injection in a year or two." Across the Atlantic in Washington, a Congressional vote is now widely expected on a $15 billion rescue of the "Big Three" US car makers. Global auto sales are predicted to end 2009 more than 8% below last year's levels according to new research from the Global Insight consultancy. A report in the Wall Street Journal says insurance giant American International Group (AIG) owes $10 billion on failed trades that are not covered by the US government's $150bn bail-out. The German Finance Minister makes some sensible comments on Britain's totally out of control and completely mindless government, link here.

UK Interest rates must rise

What can stop sterlings continuing plunge which threatens the wealth of all the country's citizens? This blog has been arguing for austerity and interest rate rises - it is the only cure after all these years of profligacy (why wait for the IMF to insist, further delay risks even they will lack the funds to help). A Telegraph report on the pound's fall to 87.79 pence per Euro concludes: "If the pound falls too far, it could frustrate future interest rate cuts because it would push up the price of imports and stop inflation coming down," said Steve Barrow, a currency expert at Standard Bank. (The idiot Chancellor A****** Darling is presently proving his incompetence to a Commons Committee live on Bloomberg, he clearly has no clue of the disaster he has helped create).

Brown saves the world, Cameron claims Britain is Bankrupt

The Crown Blogspot wasted no time in getting the Prime Minister's "Flash" claim that he saved the world on to the internet as may be seen here: More worrying is the reality of the nation's bankrupt condition now surfaced at PMQ in Parliament from no less an authority than the Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition as has been pointed out for so long on this blog, with zero preventative steps being undertaken! View an article showing Britain as a worse credit risk than MacDonald's and other large companies from The Independent/Bloomberg, from here .

Final French EU Council Meeting of this Presidency

The outlook is fairly bleak for any agreement as reflected in this english language report from France 24, linked here. Those of us who believe the last thing the EU now needs is more EU action should not however be too complacent, it was against much expectancy of failure that President Chirac won the Nice Treaty, under which the economies of Europe are being strangled and suffocated to this day. The climate pact is where the greatest economic danger now lies, further steps to reduce the EU nation's competitiveness against today's stark reality of an oncoming depression will be very much in line with the EU progress to date in the suppression of democracy and groundwork for a pan-European totalitarian state. The coming Czech Presidency under the clear-thinking eu-realist President Klaus offers only a small glimmer of hope, no doubt suppressing such faint optimism will be the most likely outcome from this week's meeting. The already drafted minutes are circulating (only blank in so far as the Lisbon Treaty discussions are concerned so far as I can gather) and will be available from here when I have traced them.

Speaker's statement on possible intercepts of MP e-mails and the pointless EU Council debate

I blogged on possible e-mail intercepts yesterday, the Speaker's statement from Hansard is as follows:

3.31 pm

Mr. Speaker: I undertook to look into the matter of the Wilson doctrine and access to the House of Commons server, which was raised by the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Benyon) on 4 December. The Parliamentary Information and Communications Technology service takes the security of its systems very seriously, and is grateful for the support that the Joint Committee on Security, the Administration Committee and the Commission give in that respect. PICT would not allow any third party to access the parliamentary network without proper authority. In the Commons, such access previously required the approval of the Serjeant at Arms. Following my statement on 3 December, if PICT receives any requests to allow access in future, it will also seek confirmation that a warrant exists and that I have approved such access under the procedure laid down and the protocol issued yesterday.

With regard to the incident involving the hon. Member for Ashford (Damian Green), no access was given to data held on the server, as PICT was not instructed to do so by the Serjeant at Arms. No access will be given unless a warrant exists and I approve such access.

An update on Mr Benyon's blog following this statement was as follows:

UPDATE - 15:51 pm

The Speaker has reassured us that the server was not acessed and would not be without an appropriate warrant. This is obviously good news and contradicts the rumours that have been flying around here in recent days. One colleague was given the clear understanding by a Met Officer that the server had been accessed.

Personally, were I a member of the public who had been in contact with an MP about a perceived abuse of authority, this statement would comfort me not one jot. Of course as I consider the vast majority of MP to be a bunch of worthless maggots solely serving their own self-interests the last step I would take when concerned about abuse of power would be to refer the matter to them!

Highlighting this sidelining and trashing of Britain's Parliament there followed a supposed debate on European Affairs ahead of the EU Council Meeting later in the week. Read the following point of order and fret at the hopelessness for Britain's democracy: Mr. David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells) (Con): On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. We are about to debate European matters preparatory to the European Council meeting, which is to be held at the end of the week. Draft conclusions of that Council meeting are already in existence; I obtained a copy from the website of the Danish Parliament. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will undoubtedly refer to issues itemised in those conclusions, which have not been made available to the House, although they have been made available to other member states, where the same culture of secrecy does not prevail. Is it in order for us to proceed with a debate on those terms, given that I have the draft conclusions? I could easily circulate them, under your authority, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker: I would not want the right hon. Gentleman to draw me into any arguments; I think that I have had enough for this week.

Czech Lower House defers Lisbon debate until 3rd Feb 2009

The report is here, the people of Europe can breathe freely for a few more weeks. Pressure on the Irish for the remainder of this week will however remain disgustingly intense, see here.

More data to prove Government's incompetence

Official figures showed that industrial production tumbled 1.7pc in October, much steeper than the 0.5pc fall predicted by economists, and significantly bigger than the 0.9pc drop in September.

The October production figure - the eighth monthly fall in row marking the longest run of falling output since 1980 - dragged annual output down by 5.2pc, the sharpest year-on-year decline since 1991 when the UK was last in recession.

Corrected quote from a sloppy Telegraph report, linked here.

Have Police been vetting Parliamentary emails?

The following is on the blog of Richard Benyon MP: Further cause for concern?

My gut feeling tells me that the Damian Green affair will expose an interesting further abuse of power. I suspect the Police have been accessing the House of Commons server. Fascinating, I hear you say. Well hang in there with me and you will see where this is going.

Accessing the server is no different to searching my office. On this system will be every email I have ever received or sent through my office or when working from home, on my Parliamentary email. If they need a warrant to search Damain’s office they sure as hell need one to follow an email trail through the server and the House of Commons computer system. It is for this reason that I asked the Speaker in a Point of Order last week where the server stood in relation to the Damain Green affair and something called the Wilson Doctrine. The latter was a protocol agreed in the 1960s about the bugging of MPs. I have just heard that the Speaker will make a statement on this matter at 3.30 pm this afternoon.

Database Threat

In my novel "Millennium Blitzkrieg" written in the mid nineteen nineties (but set in the year 2014) a major theme was the danger to our society from ID Cards. This threat gets daily ever more grave and it is good to see the activities of NO2ID trying to prevent this ever happening. A good video warning from that organisation may be viewed below.

Members' vote to approve Parliament's neutered status!

Yesterday's mind-blowing series of votes in the House of Commons should hardly be believable - especially UKIP's Spink voting with the Government. The following from Mr Eugenides, here, now has this blog's support: We've already, thanks to the staggering incompetence of the Speaker and the Serjeant-at-Arms, established that the police can barge into the Mother of Parliaments and ransack MPs' offices without a warrant. So I say, go the whole hog. Let's submit them to the same intrusive nannying they are happy for us to undergo. Make them pay from their own pockets for ID cards that they can use to "quickly and conveniently establish their identity", fine them £1,000 if their details are incorrect, ban them from claiming the money back from the taxpayer, and then give the police the right to stop them and demand that identification at will. Fingerprint them on entry to the Palace of Westminster, take DNA swabs from each and every one of them, and refuse to remove their details from the database, in breach of their human rights, when they are turfed out of office. Demand receipts for every penny of expenditure that they claim back from the taxpayer - and fire and prosecute every single MP that steals public money to put their kids through university or keep their wives in shoes and handbags. Fire and prosecute any MP who sexually harasses a colleague. Ban all booze promotions in the Palace of Westminster; make MPs pay the same for their pints as the rest of us rather than enjoying taxpayer-subsidised cheap drink.....

BBC's biased propaganda machine fully displayed.

The BBC report on the latest retail sales figures in Britain's High Streets may be viewed here. On the Radio Four Today programme there was an interview exploring the worrying nature of the decline in volume of sales and the implications of consecutive months of falls. That transcript is unavailable through the edited 'Listen Again' facility. The written report reflects these concerns as follows: On a like-for-like basis - which pulls out the impact of new store openings and closures - the survey found that sales in November were down 2.6%. Following a 0.1% decline in October, it was the first drop in overall sales for two months in a row since the survey was first released in January 2005. (Actually the broadcast report stated since 1995). The written report describes food sales as being up but in the Today programme interview revenues were indeed up but volume sales were reported as down! A few minutes later the BBC News Department Headline report merely stated that the worry over falling sales was exaggerated and that the November decline was a mere 0.4%. Is this honest impartial reporting or black propaganda? More BBC bias was clear in the later interview with David Cameron on the now terrifying levels pf Labour's borrowings!

Ireland to be Bullied over Lisbon

The following is a headline and opening paragraph from an article in the Irish Times this morning, linked here:

Government faces 2009 deadline to ratify EU treaty

JAMIE SMYTH in Brussels

THE GOVERNMENT is likely to be set a target by EU leaders later this week to ratify the Lisbon Treaty before the end of 2009 so that it can come into force at the start of January 2010.

Daniel Hannan blogs on this topic, it may be read here.

Treasures from the threads - Number twenty-seven

This comment is to an article on the meeting in London today held by Brown and President Sarkozy of France and the EU Commission President Barroso, linked here: Dear Mr Brown Are your debts becoming harder to pay? Is your over inflated Housing Market in Crisis? Have your Banks been squandering money at a level that could bring your economy down, but the revenue was good, so you didn't want to meddle? Are you up a creek without a paddle? If so, then: Consolidate you debts into one easy-to-pay loan from the IMF! With IMF loans your can delay the inevitable even further and maybe have enough spare for that holiday you promised yourself. Normally only available to 3rd World Countries, the IMF is now making available Billions to help world leaders secure re election. Just complete the attached application form and you can turn the 'Spend Now, Pay Later' philosophy of the past 10 years into a 'Spend Now, Borrow Later, Borrow Again, Pay Much Later' Manifesto for your upcoming campaigns. PS - Choose your free gift from below: 1. All expenses paid 'World Leader Pack', simply attend a gathering of World Leaders, have your photo taken, read the sound bites and take back to your voters credibility as a Global Influencer. (Please note: No decision making commitments necessary, this activity is a mutually beneficial showpiece to help heads of state retain power) 2. Parker Pen Writing Set Posted by Hannah HAHAHAHA on December 8, 2008 3:02 PM

Czech ODS to block Lisbon debate in December

The debate on the Lisbon Treaty ratification in the Czech Republic is to be blocked until January according to this report. Read below the contempt (from Bruno Waterfield, here) with which the EU recently treated the Czech President, Vaclav Klaus:

_{^{Daniel Cohn-Bendit, German leader of the Greens, he has accused the Irish No voters of being CIA stooges (more here). He was radical student leader in France during the 1960s: I brought you a flag, which - as we heard - you have everywhere here at the Prague Castle. It is the flag of the European Union, so I will place it here in front of you.}}

_{^{It will be a tough Presidency. The Czech Republic will have to deal with the work directive and climate package. EU climate package represents less than what our fraction would wish for. It will be necessary to hold on to the minimum of that. I am certain that the climate change represents not only a risk, but also a danger for the future development of the planet. My view is based on scientific views and majority approval of the European Parliament and I know you disagree with me. You can believe what you want, I don't believe, I know that global warming is a reality.}}

_{^{Lisbon Treaty: I don't care about your opinions on it. I want to know what you are going to do if the Czech Chamber of Deputies and the Senate approve it. Will you respect the will of the representatives of the people? You will have to sign it.}}

_{^{I want you to explain to me what is the level of your friendship with Mr Ganley from Ireland. How can you meet a person whose funding is unclear? You are not supposed to meet him in your function. It is a man whose finances come from problematic sources and he wants to use them to be funding his election campaign into the European Parliament.}}

_{^{Mr Klaus: I must say that nobody has talked to me in such a style and tone for the past six years. You are not on the barricades in Paris here. I thought that these manners ended for us 18 years ago but I see I was wrong. I would not dare to ask how the activities of the greens are funded. If you are concerned about a rational discussion in this half an hour, which we have, please give the floor to someone else, Mr Chairman.}}

_{^{Hans-Gert Pöttering, European Parliament President, a German Christian Democrat, whose office has repeatedly tried to smear Irish No leader Mr Ganley: No, we have plenty of time. My colleague will continue, because any members of the European Parliament can ask you whatever he likes. (to Mr Cohn-Bendit) Please continue.}}

_{^{Mr Klaus: This is incredible. I have never experienced anything like this before.}}

_{^{Mr Cohn-Bendit: Because you have not experienced me...}}

_{^{Mr Klaus: This is incredible.}}

_{^{Mr Cohn-Bendit: We have always had good talks with President Havel (Mr Klaus's predecessor). And what will you tell me about your attitude towards the anti-discrimination law? I will gladly inform you about our funding.}}

_{^{Mr Pöttering: Brian Crowley (Irish Euro-MP, Yes campaigner and leader of the UEN group in the European Patrliament), please.}}

_{^{Mr Crowley: I am from Ireland and I am a member of a party in government. All his life my father fought against the British domination. Many of my relatives lost their lives. That is why I dare to say that the Irish wish for the Lisbon Treaty. It was an insult, Mr. President, to me and to the Irish people what you said during your state visit to Ireland. It was an insult that you met Declan Ganley, a man with no elected mandate. This man has not proven the sources from which his campaign was funded. I just want to inform you what the Irish felt. I wish you that you get the programme of your Presidency through and you will get through what European citizens want to see.}}

_{^{Mr Klaus: Thank you for this experience which I gained from this meeting. I did not think anything like this is possible and have not experienced anything like this for the past 19 years. I thought it was a matter of the past that we live in democracy, but it is post-democracy, really, which rules the EU.}}

_{^{You mentioned the European values. The most important value is freedom and democracy. The citizens of the EU member states are concerned about freedom and democracy, above all. But democracy and freedom are loosing ground in the EU today. It is necessary to strive for them and fight for them.}}

_{^{I would like to emphasise, above all, what most citizens of the Czech Republic feel, that for us the EU membership has no alternative. It was me who submitted the EU application in the year 1996 and who signed the Accession treaty in 2003. But the arrangements within the EU have many alternatives. To take one of them as sacrosanct, untouchable, about which it is not possible to doubt or criticise it, is against the very nature of Europe.}}

_{^{As for the Lisbon Treaty, I would like to mention that it is not ratified in Germany either. The Constitutional Treaty, which was basically the same as the Lisbon Treaty, was refused in referendums in other two countries. If Mr Crowley speaks of an insult to the Irish people, then I must say that the biggest insult to the Irish people is not to accept the result of the Irish referendum. In Ireland I met somebody who represents a majority in his country. You, Mr. Crowley, represent a view which is in minority in Ireland. That is a tangible result of the referendum.}}

_{^{Mr Crowley: With all respect, Mr President, you will not tell me what the Irish think. As an Irishman, I know it best.}}

_{^{Mr Klaus: I do not speculate about what the Irish think. I state the only measurable data which were proved by the referendum.}}

_{^{In our country the Lisbon Treaty is not ratified because our parliament has not decided on it yet. It is not the President's fault. Let's wait for the decision of both Chambers of the Parliament, that is the current phase of the ratification process in which the President plays no role whatsoever. I cannot sign the Treaty today, it is not on my table, it is up to the parliament to decide about it now. My role will come after the eventual approval of the Treaty in the Parliament.}}

_^(...)

_{^{Mr Pöttering: In conclusion - and I want to leave this room in good terms - I would like to say that it is more than unacceptable, if you compare us, compare us with the Soviet Union. We are all deeply rooted in our countries and our constituencies. We are concerned about freedom and reconciliation in Europe, we are good willing, not naïve. Mr Klaus: I did not compare you with the Soviet Union, I did not mention the word[s] "Soviet Union". I only said that I have not experienced such an atmosphere, such style of debate in the past 19 years in the Czech Republic, really.}}