The EU in another power grab?

The EU's mania for power and control knows no bounds and if what Devils Kitchen writes is true, the EU is set for a huge power grab. I thought someting was afoot when there were rumblings at PMQs about the EU, Kate Hoey is a reliable barometer of matters EU. So Devils Kitchen's piece with more than a nod to Douglas Carswell is a must read, if not a pleasant one.

Douglas Carswell writes:

'If you read the European Commission document 11807/10 [PDF], however, it doesn’t seem quite so clear cut. Studying it, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the new rules on fiscal oversight are going to apply to all EU Member States, not just members of the Euro.

The paper – subtitled “Tools for stronger EU economic governance” – focuses on how Member States, not just Euro countries, “will act in compliance with the EU framework.” The “new structured mechanism” for vetting each countries budget will be applied to “all Member States”.

In or out of the Euro, the paper suggests Britain may indeed have her budget subject to EU Commission vetting – albeit that the time table for this “semester” process might allow officials to claim that the Commons gets to see it first.

And what if Brussels did not approve of the tax and spend policies of our democratically elected government?

If such rules only apply to Eurozone countries, why does page 5 of the document, under the heading “Corrective Action”, say that “This mechanism would apply to all Member States”. Use of that word “all”, again. If there’s a caveat saying “all” excludes Britain, I couldn’t find it.


...


EU competence is to be extended into member state’s fiscal policy, with the power to make law for "all EU Member States". And it appears to have been kept hidden until today.

Not even the European Scrutiny Committee, I’m told, had sight of a paper by the “Task Force to the European Council” called “Strengthening Economic Governance in the EU” until today.

This hidden paper appears to confirm two things:

a) Despite what we were told in June, UK budgets will now become EU business. They might not be able to impose sanctions on us if they disapprove – yet. But they are involved.

b) According to the document, “The Task Force recommends a deeper macro-economic surveillance with the introduction of a new mechanism underpinned by a new legal framework .... applying to all EU Member States”.

Yep. That’s right. The EU is to legislate in a new area. In a way that could apply to all EU Member States.

And you thought there would be no further transfers of power to Brussels, eh?'

The question of the day is "Have we been had?" and the answer is... YES and I am not a happy blogger.

Elsewhere on the web - Post of the day 1 - 'Choice'

Mr Eugenides takes The Guardian's Catherine Bennett to task for her piece attacking 'choice' in public services. It's a beautifully written piece, Mr Eugenides's not Catherine Bennett's, and deserves to be read by everybody who believes in freedom of choice and trusts our liberal elite.

Fevils Kitchen/Knife also takes Ms Bennett to task in an article that sees him returning to near his sweary best.

Please read both of these articles and spread the word about the type of people who think they know what's best for us.

Labour's enabling legislation means that the one-off bankers tax could be extended to YOU

Devils Kitchen has a must read post that includes this frightening and very plausible thought:

"the law might be aimed at bankers' bonuses right now, but we know that NuLabour has also attacked the remumeration of many other so-called "fat cats", e.g. energy company bosses. So, sure, NuLabour will pass this law and it will be aimed squarely at bankers' bonuses—after all, everyone hates the bankers, eh?

But watch out for the mini-Enabling Act clause in the Bill: it will be something that allows a government minister to change the terms of reference, probably by statutory instrument.

And then watch the law become extended to cover energy company bosses, and then other private company managers, and then—sooner or later—you'll find it's your company and your money in the firing line."

Whatever you want to call this oft used Labour tactic: 'Salami tactics' (per Yes Minister) or Pastor Niemoller tactics, the effect is the same. More power accrues to the state and less to the citizen:

"First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me."

Maybe today:
"First they came for the smokers
and I did not speak out
because I was not a smoker.
Then they came for the climate change deniers
and I did not speak out
because I was not a climate change denier.
Then they came for the bankers
and I did not speak out
because I was not a banker.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me."

Political Apologies

The Pedant General has a must-read piece over at Devils Kitchen giving us all a "handy cut-out-and-keep guide for politicians wishing to apologise for something."

Do take a look.

"Children are a lifestyle choice"

Indeed they are and Devils Kitchen explains why...

Any excuse

I Hazel Blears has decided to try and turn the Damian McBride/Derek Draper attack blog story into an excuse to attack the "Tory blogs".

"Political blogs are fuelling a culture of cynicism about politics, communities secretary Hazel Blears has claimed.

...

In her speech, Ms Blears also complained about a "spreading corrosive cynicism" in political discussion.

She turned her fire on political "bloggers" - accusing them of fuelling disengagement by focusing on "unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy" and of being written by "people with disdain for the political system and politicians".

"The most popular blogs are right-wing, ranging from the considered Tory views of Iain Dale, to the vicious nihilism of Guido Fawkes," she said.

But she added: "Unless and until political blogging 'adds value' to our political culture, by allowing new and disparate voices, ideas and legitimate protest and challenge, and until the mainstream media reports politics in a calmer, more responsible manner, it will continue to fuel a culture of cynicism and pessimism." "

Just another warning shot across the bows of us right-of-centre bloggers. So if/when Labour manage to steal or indefinitely postpone the next election, do not be surprised when the Labour government ban all "undesirable" blogs so as to ensure the voices of dissent are silenced forever. Maybe afterwards Iain Dale, Guido Fawkes, Devils Kitchen and myself will be in the same cell at a re-education institution, I wonder if they play bridge...

Fake charities

Devils Kitchen has written a great expose of the charity industry and how government funding assures the charities support for government initiatives. It really is an incestuous relationship, here's an example:

"SmokeFree Action is headed up by the biggest fake charity of all: Action of Smoking and Health (ASH). ASH, like all the rest of the "stakeholders", were created by the government but try their best to pretend to be a grass-roots organisation. Since they are registered with the charities commission it makes it that bit easier to inspect their accounts:

Year ended 31st March 2007

Department of Health: £210,400

Wales Assembly Government: £110,000

Supporting charities: £185,228

Donations & legacies received: £11,143


Incidentally, take another look at that last figure. That is the full amount that was voluntarily given to this 'charity' in a whole year. To give you a frame of reference, the Cat's Protection League received over £30 million in private donations in the same year. The fucking Donkey Sanctuary was given over £20 million.

ASH - one of the most powerful chairites in the UK - made eleven grand. If they were left to fend for themselves they wouldn't have the money to rent an office. They would be hard pushed to send out a solitary press release, let alone change the law of the fucking land every five minutes."

The idiots who wear Che Guevara t-shirts (update)

Further to my piece of this morning, I see that Devils Kitchen has also blogged about the evils of Che Guevara, he includes a link to a site that records the names of those murdered by (or on the orders) of Che Guevara. DK also records the names of the evil scum MPs who have signed John McDonnell's Parliamentary Early Day Motion that

"That this House notes that 9th October marks the 40th anniversary of the murder of Ernesto Che Guevara in Bolivia; further notes the inspiration that Che Guevara has brought to national liberation movements and millions of socialists around the world; and believes that the sustained social gains of the Cuban revolution and the government of Evo Morales in Bolivia are fitting tributes to his legacy."

Jeremy Corbyn
Ian Gibson
Linda Riordan
Ann Cryer
David Drew
Ken Purchase
Lynne Jones
Robert N Wareing
Jim Devine
David Lepper
Alasdair McDonnell
Janet Dean
Dennis Skinner
Jim Dobbin
Desmond Turner
David Anderson
Dai Davies
Bill Etherington
Angus MacNeil
John Austin
Kelvin Hopkins
Harry Cohen
Martin Salter
Alan Simpson
David Hamilton
Rudi Vis
Eric Illsley

What lovely people, I look forward to the BBC asking Dennis Skinner and Jeremy Corbyn about their support for politically inspired murder the next time these cuddly socialists appear on the BBC. Of course it is more likely that the BBC will produce its own hagiography of Che Guevara in due course.



Similarly, these are the larger number of scummy MPs who supported Colin Burgon's Early Motion from February that

"That this House commends the achievements of Fidel Castro in securing first-class free healthcare and education provision for the people of Cuba despite the 44 year illegal US embargo of the Cuban economy; notes the great strides Cuba has taken during this period in many fields such as biotechnology and sport in both of which Cuba is a world leader; acknowledges the esteem in which Castro is held by the people and leaders of Africa, Asia and Latin America for leading the calls for emancipation of the world's poorest people from slavery, hunger and the denial of human rights such as the right to life, the right to shelter, the right to healthcare and basic medicines and the right to education; welcomes the EU statement that constructive engagement with Cuba at this time is the most responsible course of action; and calls upon the Government to respect Cuba's right to self-determination and resist the aggressive forces within the US Administration who are openly planning their own illegal transition in Cuba."

Colin Burgon
Jon Trickett
Jon Cruddas
Ian Gibson
Michael Clapham
George Mudie
Kelvin Hopkins
John McDonnell
Ann Cryer
Diane Abbott
David Taylor
Linda Riordan
Adam Price
Dennis Skinner
David Heyes
Brian Iddon
Lynne Jones
Elfyn Llwyd
Edward O'Hara
Ronnie Campbell
Martin Caton
Jeremy Corbyn
Andrew Dismore
Paul Flynn
Hywel Francis
David Hamilton
John Battle
Katy Clark
Jim Devine
Gordon Prentice
Ken Purchase
Jim Sheridan
Marsha Singh
Paul Holmes
Jim Hood
Lindsay Hoyle
Joan Humble
David Lepper
Denis Murphy
Albert Owen
Harry Cohen
David Crausby
Janet Dean
Jim Dobbin
David Drew
Clive Efford
Bill Etherington
John Grogan
Fabian Hamilton
John Austin
Anne Begg
Dari Taylor
Mike Wood
David Anderson
Dai Davies
Karen Buck
Richard Caborn
Colin Challen
Frank Cook
Virendra Kumar Sharma
Alan Simpson
Dai Havard
Peter Kilfoyle
Andrew Mackinlay
Austin Mitchell
David Chaytor
Ian Davidson
George Galloway
Desmond Turner
Martin Salter
Rudi Vis
Andy Slaughter
Sian C James
Bill Olner
Richard Burden
Michael Connarty
John Cummings
Paul Truswell
Keith Vaz
Julie Morgan
Doug Naysmith
Frank Dobson
Chris McCafferty
Eric Illsley
Anne Moffat
Ian Stewart
Emily Thornberry

The self-delusion that the left are capable of frightens me = "first-class free healthcare"! Two minutes on the web would show you the lie there...

The state is really not your friend: it is the one, unassailable monopoly of the modern world and it must be destroyed or it will.. make slaves of us

Devils Kitchen has another must read post today.

"The tax system makes slaves of us all: we have no option but to pay the tax, and thus we are serfs to our lords and masters. Because they have the law to back up their means of collection, and thus we must pay said taxes whether we wish to use the services provided or not, our lords and masters force other providers out of the market—both through monopoly laws and through ensuring that no one has the money left over to pay competing providers anyway."

The David Miliband fan-club

The David Miliband fan-club, maybe not...

Totalitarianism knows no boundaries

Many fear that the 42 day law that is aimed at terrorists is open to abuse, first by extending the definition of a "terrorist" to anyone who disagrees with the government, second by extending the 42 days limit to other "offenders" who cause problems for the government. The defenders of this legislation say this would never happen. Take a look at what has just happened in Jeresey (my emphasis):

"Now they can lock you up indefinitely

By Andy Sibcy

THE Home Affairs Minister has sent shock waves through the legal profession by authorising the indefinite detention of suspects without charge.

On 5 June, Senator Wendy Kinnard amended the criminal code that had limited pre-charge detention to 36 hours.

She did so under delegated powers enjoyed by the minister under the terms of the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law.

However, that same law states that before such changes to codes are made, the minister is required to publish a draft of the changes and consult interested parties. She did neither of these things – a failure that has left the Island’s criminal lawyers stunned.

The new code came into force on Thursday, but no statement was released to either the media or the legal profession.

If you live in Jersey, do you feel safer now? If you are contemplating a holiday in Jersey, would this affect your decision?

Does anyone believe this sort of extension of powers could never happen in the UK?




Thanks to Devils Kitchen for the spot.

The ratchet effect/salami tactics

When commenting on today's PMQs earlier today, I live-blogged

"Labour MP worried that the 42 days will apply to more than just terrorists and asks Gordon Brown for assurance. Exceptional and grave terrorist threat. We all know that once on the statute book it could be extended - salami tactics..."

devils Kitchen makes a similar point but rather more deftly, well he had the time to consider his posting...:

"In the meantime, it seems that our government can't be entirely fucking brainless since they have learned, presumably from the EU, how the "ratchet" mechanism works. After all, once you can hold anyone for any length of time without charge, it isn't really a further assault on civil liberties, eh?

I mean, you've already surrendered the absolute principle, so 72 hours is fine, yes?

Oh, we'd like 14 days: what's that? An assault on civil liberties? Well, surely if civil liberties were so important, you wouldn't have allowed us 72 hours. After all, it's the principle that counts, eh?

Come to think of it, 28 days would be far better; yes, 28 days with the option to extend it further if a judge agrees. What? No, come on: don't pull that civil liberties schtick again; not after you let us have 14 days.

Of course, if we could just have 42 days and make the order scrutinised by Parliament, not the judges, that would be even better. Well, come on: you really cannot bleat about civil liberties at this stage...

You see? A ratchet effect: it always goes forward into more illiberal territory, and never back again."

The ratchet effect, the salami slice - all favourite EU tactics, now copied by our Labour government.


See the "Yes Prime Minister" episode called "The Grand Design" for the (I believe) original usage of the phrase "salami tactics". The argument ran something like:

The matter under discussion was a hypothetical Russian invasion of Western Europe and when would Jim Hacker (the fictional Prime Minister) press the red button. The idea being that you would only press the nuclear trigger if you have no choice - but salami tactics mean you are never in the position where you clearly have no choice. The Russians would take a small slice at a time via dubious but not too provocative measures until the whole salami is gone.

The original examples ran:

G=General
P=Prime Minister, James 'Jim' Hacker

"G - ...if they try anything, it will be salami tactics.

P - Salami tactics?

G - Slice by slice. One small piece at a time. So will you press the button if they invade West Berlin?

P - It all depends.

G - On what?

Scenario one.

Riots in West Berlin, buildings in flames.

East German fire brigade crosses the border to help. Would you press the button...?

The East German police come with them. The button...?

Then some troops, more troops just for riot control, they say.

And then the East German troops are replaced by Russian troops. Button...?

Then the Russian troops don't go.

They are invited to stay to support civilian administration.

The civilian administration closes roads and Tempelhof Airport.

Now you press the button?

P - I need time to think about it.

G - You have 12 hours.

P - Have I?

...


G - Scenario two.

The Russian army accidentally on purpose cross the West German frontier.

Is that the last resort?

P - No.

G - Right, scenario three.

Suppose the Russians have invaded West Germany, Belgium, Holland, France?

Suppose their tanks and troops have reached the English Channel and are poised to invade?

Is that the last resort?

P - No.

Why not?

We'd only fight a nuclear war to defend ourselves. That would be committing suicide!

So what is the last resort? Piccadilly? Watford Gap service station? The Reform Club?"

Freeloaders

The release of MPs expenses has engendered much publicity and I will be covering this in more detail soon, but one example caught my eye. This example is that of Health minister Ann Keen, 59, and her husband Alan, 70; MPs for Brentford & Isleworth and neighbouring Feltham & Heston respectively. They are husband and wife so they already get double expenses as they share a property. Not content with that, they decide that Brentford is too far to commute to Westminster from; it's an hour by car, less by train to do that journey. So they have used £175,000 of taxpayers’ money to help buy a flat near Parliament .

The Daily Mail report that:

"The couple bought the flat in May 2002 after spending six months in a London hotel.

In a letter to the Commons’ Fees Office informing officials of their changed circumstances, the Keens wrote: ‘Despite some advantages of hotel accommodation, overall we found it unsatisfactory and have borrowed…to purchase a flat within walking distance of Westminster.’

In an unusual arrangement, they used two mortgages. One loan was for £350,000 from HSBC. The other £170,000 was raised by re-mortgaging their property in Brentford, also through HSBC.

The couple argued that because the second home loan was used to raise equity for the central London flat it should be permissible on expenses.

This was apparently nodded through by officials. The property would almost certainly now be worth at £800,000, according to experts.

As well as the interest payments on their mortgage, the couple claimed £867.57 a month for ‘compulsory’ life insurance premiums attached to the home loans - a practice which has since been banned.

According to the documents, they never submitted a single receipt. Instead, they
sent two sheets of A4 to the expenses department every month, claiming £1,643.50 each month throughout 2002-03 and £1,699 each throughout 2003-04 - almost the maximum payable.

In the five years since they bought the apartment, Mrs Keen has claimed £87,325 under the second homes allowance and Mr Keen has received £87,803 - a total of £175,128.

In the last year for which figures are available, the pair claimed a total of £38,515 under the ACA, which covers mortgage interest, service charges, utility and food.

If they had each separately taken the £38 taxi ride from Westminster to Brentford on every Commons ‘sitting day’ that year, the bill would have only come to £11,000 - £27,000 less.

There is no suggestion the couple broke the rules. However, their case will intensify pressure for reforms of the way MPs pay themselves expenses.

Critics claim they lived so near to the Commons they should only be able to claim the London supplement of £2,700.

The housing allowances system is now under review.

A Department of Health spokesman stressed the Keens’ claims were within the rules.

But Matthew Elliott, of the Taxpayers’ Alliance campaign group, said they were ‘unacceptable’.

‘The allowance should help MPs represent their constituencies, not pay the costs of life insurance or enable them to build up a lucrative property portfolio.’"

Will the Labour freeloaders be handing over the capital appreciation in their part-taxpayer paid for properties? Somehow I doubt it.



UPDATE:
Unsurprisingly, Devils Kitchen has a more robust outlook on the Keen's. He also has the presence of mind and love of history to have quoted part of Oliver Cromwell's speech dismissing the Rump Parliament:

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

"Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

"Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone!

"So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!"

The welfare state

Devils Kitchen has a fine piece attacking Kerron Cross today. Do read the whole article but the bit that spoke to me clearest was DK's attack on the National Minimum Wage, here's an extract:

"Some people are never going to be worth paying at all and will thus remain unemployed (unless they retrain, for instance, thus adding to their human capital worth). If you introduce a Minimum Wage of, say, £4, anyone who's labour is worth less than £4 an hour will never have a job.

As you raise that Minimum Wage (especially if you do so above the level of natural wage inflation) then you increase the number of people who labour is not worth that amount. As such, you increase the number of people who will never be able to get a job.

The consequences of this are fairly plain. That person will, for starters, never have the chance to better themselves at the expense of their employer, through in-job training, etc. They are left very poor and so their chances of being able to go and study to improve their human capital, and therefore their labour rent value, is also reduced.

So, you contribute to an ever-increasing underclass, an üntermensch, who will never get a job. As such, you propagate an increase in the number of people who will always be living solely off benefits. As you increase those benefits, you make it even less likely that getting a low paid job will be more profitable, given the time outlay involved in working, and thus further reduce the probability that these people will ever work again.

If you then introduce Child Benefits, your unemployed person can afford to have children (they become, in fact, an investment), and you end up with children being brought up in a home where no one has ever worked. And so, you increase the number of people who, in turn, will probably never work.

And the stupid thing is that you don't have to take my word for it: we have seen this happen over the last sixty years. We now have a reported 3 million households in Britain that are entirely dependent on benefits.

And as Labour ramps up the Minimum Wage, the number of households will only increase as you increase the number of people whose labour is not worth the wage that you have insisted must be paid."

How to be a good citizen

Remember:

1. Pay your taxes and be thankful we let you keep any of your money.

2. Spend all the money you can. Don't be greedy and save it for yourself.

3. Don't cause trouble by asking embarrassing questions or by not supporting your government.


See the video at Devils Kitchen.

It is an American video but it applies in the UK as well.

A must read article on the Global Warming lie

Go and read Devils Kitchen on this story.

Totalitarianism

From Devils Kitchen comes a great piece that you should read in its entirety - here is an extract.

"Alas, the culture of this country has become such that most of the morons who live here have accepted the state's shilling and are now little more than sheep, fed on a diet of celebritards and "reality" wank-shows, who barely comprehend—and are even less interested in—the loss of their freedoms.

As I have pointed out so many times, we are all in hock to the state and must dance to its tune. And the state is not your friend, friend."

Read this article

Go read this article at Devils Kitchen. A warning to us in this increasingly illiberal country.

They want total control, of us

Read this from Devils Kitchen and worry for our futures.

Have a drink, but only a small one

Take a read of Devils Kitchen on the subject of "Millions more classed as danger drinkers". I think DK may be a little upset and understandably so. This government is out of control, is there any way of stopping them?