Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 9th - 12th Dec 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 9^th - 12^th Dec 2013

Tuesday I mentioned Western Sahara in my last Brussels Commentary and today there was the vote on the EU-Morocco fishing agreement. I regret to tell you that it was adopted by 310 – 204 votes. Disgraceful, these MEPs are either ignorant or do not care. There is one hope from an unlikely quarter. The Commissioner ‘phoned up our assistant dealing with this and asked for our support for Western Sahara. We’ll have to see what might come of that.

We were also closely involved in further fishing votes, deep sea fishing in the North Atlantic. We have been heavily lobbied over this from those wishing to protect the sea bed from aggressive trawling which scars the bottom and destroys rare species. If you read one account of our vote you might get the impression that we did not care for we voted against a certain amendment which gave protection. But that was only two years protection and what happens then is another matter, we wanted long term protection.

The Estrela Report may come up in the UK press. Ms Estrela wanted comprehensive protection against all kinds of things, including Female Genital Mutilation. Quite horrible, as we all agree. Problem, it was all tied up with so many side issues and conditions that we abstained all through. After all, member states, ie, individual countries, should be putting their own house in order. At the end, since getting insufficient support, Ms Estrela withdrew her name from the report. This was an “Own Initiative” report, ie an MEP’s own idea and it cannot therefore be legislative, so no rules or regs can emerge. What does happen to Own Initiative reports is that the Commission keep an eye and if one looks promising they will sometimes take it up and make a legislative report of it.

Later on I spoke to the Globalisation Adjustment Fund. That’s awarding lots of your money to help workers made redundant when firms close, often when a firm moves abroad because it can’t compete any more due to the crazy EU Rules and Regs it has to obey. See on this link http://www.ukipmeps.org/articles_770_Company-after-company-closing-under-the-weight-of-EU-Regulation.html

We had the EFD group Christmas Dinner that evening in a Strasbourg restaurant and the original schedule showed me speaking at about 6.30 pm,- OK. But the time slipped, as always, and I got to my feet at about 8.45pm!! Raced to dinner, got there just after 9.00. They kept it hot for me, and for Jane who was with me on this visit, but who was lucky not to have been thrown out of the Parliament visitor gallery. She clapped my effort, - strictly forbidden!

Speaking late in the evening is not popular because the session goes on to midnight and slippage always occurs. I once finished a one minute speech at two minutes to midnight!

Wednesday Votes for no less than 5 new members of the Court of Auditors. At least the names were published this time. Any use asking if the new lot will see that the books are properly audited next year?

Pre accession assistance was approved. That means candidate countries being awarded vast sums of (your) money to sweeten them up and help to firm up their public opinion. The Globalisation Adjustment Fund to which I spoke on Tuesday evening came to vote. Guess how that turned out. That’s right, adopted, by 543 to 126,- I had really made an impact!

Most votes today were of just one page of amendments, or less, but one on, “Human Rights in the World”, ran to 3 pages. Priorities!

Much more sinister was the Cutas report on, “Mandatory automatic exchange of information in the field of taxation”. Adopted by 360 – 59, and notice the word, “mandatory”.

Thursday Votes included ,”Progress on Roma integration strategies”. This passed but the last amendment, “Whereas the Roma share responsibility for their current dire situation with the wider society, and whereas Roma communities need to tackle the wrongs and problems within their communities”, was defeated by 293- 309.

Then we voted on the Ukraine, which had been an item at the Vilnius summit recently. Our, ie EFD amendment, not welcoming Ukrainian membership was defeated by 60 to 464 votes. Further votes in favour of Ukrainian membership were adopted, including visa free travel. The whole report favoured Ukrainian membership and, at the conclusion, the leading Lib-Dem member present welcomed the result and displayed a Ukrainian flag, the signal for the whole of the Lib-Dems present, plus some others, to stand up and flourish Ukrainian flags. Such displays are forbidden in the House. Guess who gets away with it and who got the knuckles well and truly rapped a couple of years ago for the same thing!

A “Progress report on Albania” report was not supported, this time.

A Happy Christmas to all my readers.

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg 12^th D ec 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee 25th - 26th Nov 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee 

During a previous visit to Strasbourg I made a speech in which I deplored the proliferation of "red tape" which hampers small businesses in particular, costing them money and causing closures. I pointed out that SMEs between them employed half the work force and that this therefore raised the unemployment figures.

On that occasion I took the opportunity to remind MEPs that none other than Barroso had mentioned in the House a year or two before, "Red tape was strangling SME's". Following my speech I was "blue-carded", that is, an MEP raised a blue card to demand I answer a question. This turned out to be a query as to what was Red-Tape! I informed the lady that it was the mass of petty instructions and requirements imposed on businesses and which fell more heavily on the SME's because they had few resources to cope with it.

I was amused to realise some while later that this MEP is now serving on the Employment Committee, whose lady president recently tabled a report to reduce the amount of 'Red Tape', so as to benefit small businesses.

I therefore had to keep a close watch on my tongue today. The very MEP who had queried me on the re-tape issue months ago is herself today the rapporteur for 2 reports;-

1) "Effective labour inspections as a strategy to improve working conditions in Europe".

2) "An integrated parcel delivery market for the growth of e-commerce in the EU"

"Inspections" conjures up an image of a whole regiment of inspectors, just like a collection of Traffic Wardens. As for a delivery market to cater for developing e-commerce I would think that the suppliers would have their delivery systems already sorted. Certainly my new hedge trimmer, ordered on line, turned up on time a year ago. They took it away two weeks later when I expressed dissatisfaction, and then returned it again on time. So what's the problem?

I leave to you to consider the red-tape possibilities inherent in these two reports. Suffice it to say that these people just do not listen, they all think that their new set of rules must go through, it's the others we can do without.

By the way, the first of these two reports, all 15 pages of amendments to labour inspections, was adopted by 22 to 15, that's close by EU standards. The second report on parcel delivery passed by 31 - 4 votes, that's more like it, and guess who was one of the 4 against.

I did something a little unusual today. we often get multiple emails about some issue or another. These are often identical having been composed by some kind of central body. Those for the CFP reform ran to 1500. Could not answer all of them so sent a specimen reply.

Today was different. Some 20 identical emails about the disaster about to be inflicted on Western Sahara. This very much third world country is where the Sahara meets the sea. It is poor with hardly any rainfall. They have but two resources, the phosphate mines (in that climate!) and fish. Twice now the EU has made available fishing licences for European fleets to fish these waters but these vessels out-class the locals, fishing as much in a day as the more primitive local boats get in a month.

Not only does this put the locals out of business in a land with no benefit system, these rapacious European fleets strip the waters clean, so the licences are only made out for 5 years. Then, renewed as the stocks recover.

Worse still, in the world of UN guaranteed self-determination Western Sahara does not have its own government. It was once a Spanish colony, given up when Spain joined the EU, now it is run by Morocco, which has turned it into a police state. About half the Sahrawis have fled to Algeria which allowed them to settle in refugee camps, together with their Government in Exile, the Polisario.

Why raise this now? Because the EU is on the point of agreeing an EU-Morocco fishing agreement. An agreement with Morocco which has done more to terrorise and subjugate the people of Western Sahara than any other country!

I have now promised my correspondents to write to the Foreign Office, hoping to get some kind of helpful and civilised answer.

Derek Clark MEP Brussels Nov 26th 2013

Strasbourg Commentary 39 Plenary Session 18 – 21 Nov 2013

Strasbourg Commentary 39 Plenary Session 18 – 21 Nov 2013

Tuesday Voting The Plenkovic report on yet another Globalisation Adjustment Fund, to award yet more of your money to failed companies who can’t keep up, does not sound very exciting. But, this was for Spanish building firms in Valencia!!

Ever since I became an MEP I have received emails from desperate people who have fallen for the, “Retirement home in the Sun” scam. They have been to Spain on holiday, attend nice little UK gatherings where a smooth talker persuades them to invest. This means selling up in Britain using the cash to fund their home, only to find, in many cases, that it does not exist. Or, it does, but the local developer has had building permission for the complex from the Regional Council only to be overturned by the National Government. The bulldozers then move in and flatten their home; money gone. One famous case involved a time-share apartment of umpteen flats all taken by hundreds of North Europeans for their 2 weeks in the sun. Bulldozed like the rest, with no recompense.

Problem is, for UK buyers especially, they think that, as we are all in the EU now, all laws and so on are same everywhere, No they are not. Spanish conveyancing has always been tortuous and local solicitors are no help. Had lunch with Northampton Solicitors a few months ago and I asked them how they would go about dealing with acquiring Spanish property. “Not with a barge pole” was the reply.

Cyprus is no better. There they get the purchaser to sign the papers to deposit all the money required in a certain bank. They then have to appoint a lawyer to act for them to pay out the monthly in instalments,- before the keys are handed over!. No signature = no home = no money back. The only bank which will offer a Mortgage is the Alpha Panetti Bank. The only acceptable go-between lawyer is called Panetti!. I spent all afternoon with Cypriot lawyers and a UK lawyer trying to sort this out!!

Wednesday Votes included “Gender £balance …Directors Companies listed on stock Exchange” All our amendments were voted down. Then came the Fox-Hafner report on, “Location of the EU’s Parliament seats.”

Most of us wish to get rid of this Brussels/ Strasbourg monthly circus. To be clear it does not affect me too much, ditto others. I go the Brussels and come home, I go to Strasbourg and come home (in an hour or so, if you’ll let me!). But most of the Parliamentary Assistants live in Brussels, so they go to & fro, plus paperwork. Outside my door now is a cabin trunk into which I can put anything I like, John ditto. Sometime tomorrow it will be collected, join the other 745 other MEP trunks, be loaded onto trucks and off to Brussels. There to be unloaded and put outside my office. Friday prior to next Strasbourg all collected in Brussels again and off to Strasbourg, all of them. I put hardly anything in mine!!

The permanent staff of Parliament move between the two places, plus their paperwork. As do the Commission staff. And the Council staff. And a lot of the admin takes place in the Third seat of Parliament, Luxembourg. That’s where all our monies are administered, so any query…..

You would think that a re-arrangement would be a simple matter. Wrong! Strasbourg sittings are a matter of the Law, in that it is in the Treaties. At the moment there is work going on to amend the treaties, which is fraught with complexity and personalities. It will be ages before anything is done about the issue of where we debate and vote. And Cameron thinks he can re-negotiate our terms of membership within the Treaties!!!

My little one minute on Creutzman, “Competiveness etc” is on the website. My rough notes here below. I had the choice of speaking to this or to “Social Change and innovation”. Although the latter was more within my brief as employment spokesman I chose Creutzman as it was more interesting!. Actually, I had been approached by the Health Foods people mentioned in my opening line and promised them I would speak to this. No, I don’t normally respond to lobbyists because they are usually big companies after a free boost for their product. That usually takes the form of getting us to promote new legislation to favour them. Inevitably that works against the small guys, hence my support of the Small & Medium Enterprises”.

Thursday Creutzman was voted on today. Guess what, it was voted down, by 554 to 27 votes. Ah well. The point is, we never give up, they are going to hear what the only grown up democracy in Europe has to say. In which respect go to UKIP MEPs website and listen to a number of speeches of this last week from Paul Nuttall, Gerard Batten and Stuart Agnew, Enjoy!!.

http://www.derekclarkmep.org.uk/my-videos/

Entitled - EU shutting out small health food enterprises - UKIP MEP Derek Clark

Strasbourg Commentary (Part 2) Plenary session 13^th – 16^th Jan 2014

The outstanding event of the week was the appearance of the Greek Premier, Mr Samaras

His 40 minute presentation was to re-assure everyone that all in the Greek garden was lovely. Greece was now breaking even on the budget, that the current balance was OK. Yes, there was the outstanding Debt, he did not say how much!!, but they could now start paying back. They were on an even keel and there was social stability. He was grateful for the Solidarity shown by all the EU member states.

Then the round of lead speakers began.

Daul (EPP President) said Greek farmers would do better if they were not saddled with 10% on borrowing. They ought to reduce that, and that was the kind of Solidarity we need, MR FARAGE!

Swaobada Socialist) the demands of the Troika were not acceptable. It was destroying the social network in Greece., must be phased out. On a UK tack he complained that Cameron suppresses publication of benefit figures until after the Euro Elections.

Verhofstadt (ALDE) FARAGE wants to block worker movement when it is only 2.8% of working population. This is far too low, we want more movement, not less.

Harms (Greens) A mistake to say that reforms are working. The people do not buy into the systems. Public services are poor, Greece is in Depression, not recession. Greek jobs are being done in Brussels. Greece has foreign companies exploiting their resources.

Callanan (ECR) Samaras painted a nice picture but it is misleading.

Zimmer (NGL) It’s a social disaster in Greece with very high unemployment. There is a lot of illegitimate debt, ie conversion of private debt into Government debt.

So, not exactly a rosy Greek picture after all. You will have seen Nigel’s piece already, if not on this link. http://www.ukipmeps.org/articles_779_Farage-A-Battle-of-National-Democracy-vs-EU-State-Bureaucracy.html and I have never seen Nigel attacked by speakers before he got up to speak, still less two of them.

Personally I have been wrong on one count. I thought that they would all rally round Greece with the Euro elections in May so as to keep up the pretence of all being well, but not this week. Perhaps they will find some magic in April.

Derek Clark MEP 16^th Jan 2014

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg 21^st Nov 2013.

Brussels Commentary 31 Employment Committee 5th Nov 2013

Brussels Commentary 31 Employment Committee 5th Nov 2013

This was just one afternoon and I do not always attend such short sessions, it takes me away from the demands of the office for a day and it costs the taxpayer just as much as a two day visit. However, I went on this occasion because I had been invited to dinner that same evening by the NFU. They were on a group visit the following day and had invited me because of the support I have been giving them. I have made a good number of visits to poultry farms, ploughed fields, milking parlours and so on. More usefully I have been to meetings to find out how elements of the revised Farm Support Scheme operates with a view to voting in their favour as and when it arises.

All useful time spent and hence their invitation which I accepted, of course, as a courtesy. Actually, I nearly missed out. The Employment meeting that afternoon was dominated by a voting session which went on for just over one and half hours and meant that I was rather late to dinner. The taxis in Brussels are hopeless.

In the votes we had, "Social dimension of the economic and monetary Union". Over 100 amendments and I am proud to tell you that my vote against stood on its own, to 41 in favour!.

On measures to "Facilitate rights involved re freedom of movement of workers", I had support! After 200 amendments it passed by 41 to 2. But the follow up vote, nominating a team to negotiate with Council (they expect problems!), came out as 40 in favour to 1 against. I think I have just been eliminated from several Christmas card lists.

I was one of 2 to vote against the last measure, "Regulation of the Globalisation Adjustment Fund". Not surprised, this is spending wads of money to help workers when a firm re-locates or otherwise closes because EU companies are so inefficient that they can't compete on the world stage. One of the latest closures was the Danish firm that builds these monstrous wind turbines. So now, when you see one being put up, you know it's not even keeping Europeans in work.

The first of these votes revealed some of the "smoke and mirrors" which we know is prevalent. The vote lists contained "Compromises", quite a common feature in which the rapporteur talks to "shadow rapporteurs" and to groups before the vote. You realise that these are popular with other MEPs because it includes amendments which might otherwise not stand up but which go through because it is rare for a compromise to be voted down. It also saves time in voting for the amendments it includes are not then taken. In this case three amendments were listed to vote before a compromise but which, if passed would cause the compromise to fall. They were passed, consternation all round.

The committee president ruled that this was so but complained. These compromises are always put together by a number of political groups, so they pass because of that wide support. On this occasion the president said that she was surprised that she had not been informed before hand of a certain group's change of mind!!

So if you were to see my committee voting you will not be surprised to see the rapidity with which the result is declared, it's all cut and dried before hand, she has no need to look up to see the size of "fors" and "against". It's called democracy, EU style.

Keep up the good work!!

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 6th Nov 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session Oct 21st - 24th 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session Oct 21^st - 24th 2013

Tuesday - The vote on In vitro devices included over 250 amendments. The whole thing is nonsense with simple stuff like sticking plaster being mixed up with implants which only a surgeon would use. See my speech about this where one minute was insufficient to cover the topic properly http://www.ukipmeps.org/articles_732_Medical-Devices-Its-all-about-the-big-companies.html

The report was approved by 525 to 25 votes but the legislative resolution was returned to committee for further work. Likewise the following vote on Medical Devices which had over 300 amendments.

The Estrela report on “Sexual and reproductive health and rights” was very contentious so the temperature rose considerably when a motion to postpone it passed by 351 to 319. Rapporteur most upset and continued complaining loudly in the lift lobby.

Apparently Education needs “Re-thinking”, well a vote of 556 to 105 against says so.

Wednesday - The Cadec report on the Fisheries Fund had attracted over 600 amendments, many of which were taken as one block vote, which passed in spite of our “No”! The report was adopted but legislation was postponed. Good, since it adopted provision for the subsidising of new vessels. The pictures circulated are of many subsidised new boats, such as British fishermen can only dream of, but all done with their money!

Do not be surprised to hear that the findings of the UN Climate Change Conference were well received, adopted by 524 to 120 votes.

Thursday - Included the Ulmer report on the Dangers of Ionising Radiation. All very well but this lot know nothing. When this came to the Employment Committee several different permitted levels of exposure were mooted, depending on the body part exposed, most of which ignored the UN recommendations, settling on several levels well above UN guidelines. Now we had this report of 150 amendments which was, of course, adopted, 455 to 102.

In the Brok report on Security Policy they voted for more EU involvement in the Balkans, I thought this region had caused enough trouble over the years. They also want Britain and France to abandon their nuclear weapons, apparently, this will persuade Iran to follow suit!

Most importantly was the La Via report, adopted by 428 to 44, on the shortfall of EU funds where I can do no better than to reproduce here the Europarl Press Release,-

So, back to Wednesday for voting on the budget, as usual in Oct or Nov. Very confusing this year. Up to now we have been presented with a comprehensive list of proposed expenditure set out line by line, each line showing the purpose of payment, with comment as to whether each was an increase or a decrease. With some 30 lines per page on 10 pages it gave clear identification of over 300 items of EU expenditure and we could cast informed vote. Not so now.

I should explain that all reports are an amending exercise. At each Employment Committee I am usually presented with a pile of 4 booklets, each of about 50 A4 pages, ie 100 sides. Number one starts with the original report, the rapporteur’s comments and then amendments, continued in the remaining booklets. I do not get this before the committee starts so John Tennant does the hard bit ready for me to vote. He reads all amendments, recommends which I should support, and which not, and converts this to a voting list. This is very tedious because, whereas the amendments are listed in the books in numerical order, on the voting lists the amendments appear in random order. These voting lists are not available until the evening prior to the vote! We sit down on the morning before the votes and discuss John’s decisions. That is quick because we of UKIP vote, normally, against everything and all I have to do is to check out any “Yes” John recommends. Votes in plenary follow a similar path.

By the way, before I had my own assistant to do this I had to do it myself. So I sat in committee all day, reading each report with its amendments, as debate continued. In between making an occasional intervention I marked up the booklets and hoped to get through them all by the time the voting lists came through at about 7.30pm. I took it all to my hotel and worked through before and after dinner, transferring my markings to the voting lists. You will realise that it is impossible to vote without a marked-up voting list. I did once try to vote from the amendment booklets, absolutely impossible. In any case changes come in overnight.

For the budget this year detail was expanded on several lines for each expenditure, so that there were 8 books of over 50 sheets each, making a pile some 5 inches thick. Impossible to use in the vote situation so the Budget Committee had collapsed all these lines into about 5 blocks per page, with minimal outline, on to voting lists of 10 pages of A4. For example “Block 1” was, ‘production levies, sugar storage, production charges, surpluses, financing the general budget’, all lumped together as one vote, with about 5 or 6 more blocks on each page. We were only able to vote by recommendation of our assistants and the fact that our senior assistant had copy of all 8 books of amendments.

Hence my comments above about how the voting takes place. The budget voting lists were just like all the others, as detailed above, but with over 1000 amendments! Our senior assistant, Aurelie Laloux, worked for two solid days on the voting lists for the budget.

To make matters worse the rapporteur addressed MEPs as the budget vote was about to start. She explained that six or seven amendments had alterations for us to note. Problem, plenary vote lists are just like committee lists and, instead of taking them one at a time as we got to it, she did it all together, identified by amendment number. So it was impossible to follow instructions. Hence my “Point of Order”, as per the link below, and please note the Presidential response! http://www.ukipmeps.org/articles_741_Voting-on-unknown-alterations-to-amendments.html

Did somebody say that the EU needs to be transparent, especially when spending billions of Pounds of taxpayers money?

This video, with extra footage, and further notes, will be going out on You Tube for all the world to see!

Lastly, if you have seen Nigel’s recent speech to the House you will notice that he remarked that when the Euro Anthem was played everyone stood to “Ramrod” attention. No they did not. I was just coming back in as the anthem began so I promptly departed and waited for it to stop. This is not my Anthem, I have a perfectly good one already. In any case, it is a dreadful way to treat Beethoven’s ninth symphony.

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg Oct 24^th 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee Sept 25th/26th 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee Sept 25^th/26^th 2013

Two days dominated by voting on Wednesday, following debates on Tuesday.

These included ,”Implementing Council Directive...equal treatment in employment and occupation”. Remarkably this failed but only because of a disagreement. Any report is written by the rapporteur with cooperation from “shadow rapporteurs”. These are from political groups other than that of the main rapporteur. In this case the Socialists announced that they were withdrawing their support for this report because they claimed a lack of transparency and that the rapporteur had gone back on a previous agreement. It will now go to the Commission to be written, not a good idea.

However, this illustrates how this place works. Deals are done behind closed doors to ensure that reports go through, entailing “horse trading”. In this case the negotiations fell though. The actual value of the report does not seem to matter too much.

“Rule 81 of Parliament’s rules of Procedure on Consent Practices” was adopted, so now the EC is to be allowed to alter the terms of any report.

“Reindustrialisation of Europe to promote competitiveness...” was adopted by 33 -3. Fine ? It will cost 30 billion Euros for reconstruction. Who will find a large wedge of that?

To go with the previous item there was,”Towards a strong... European Car Industry”. Adopted by 34 -3, with no estimate of costs.

Then came,” Conditions of entry of third country nationals for research, pupil exchange, training (paid and unpaid) voluntary service and au pairing”. Adopted by 30 – 8 votes, leading to a two tier immigration policy, with the UK government powerless. (Third country means non-EU).

“National Roma Inclusion Strategies”, was adopted by 33 – 3, For future impact, but note the term, “Inclusion”.

Last item was a debate on an, “Integrated parcel delivery market....growth of e-commerce in the EU” . So having wrecked our Royal Mail system they will now work on commercial delivery firms. Apparently they have problems with cross border deliveries so now they think only of rules imposed from above. No chance of letting these firms sort it out themselves!

Now the parcel delivery report is being written by a socialist, Jutta Steinruck. She is also doing, “Effective labour inspections...improve working conditions, clamp down on illegals”. Like you I can see the outcome, -a mass of rules and regs, yet more Red Tape.

In a previous commentary I mentioned I had been subjected to a “Blue Card” question after speaking in the House. This was to ask me, “What was Red Tape?”. The questioner was none other than Ms Steinruck and here she is, proposing yet more of it!

By the way. All of the “No” vote figures quoted above includes me in every case.

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 26^th Sept 2013   

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session Sept 9th – 12th 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session Sept 9^th – 12^th 2013

Nice to back!! – especially as little changes!

Actually, it does. I take you have seen newspapers comments on Barroso’s speech on the “State of the UKIP”, delivered on Wednesday. Take his comments about us as you like but I do not think he meant to compliment us. Perhaps he was trying to alert other UK parties to our threat, after all, people like him do not like to change tack to take on a different foe. However, I also hope you have picked up Nigel’s comments, especially his response to the really repulsive Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the Lib-Dems.

Tuesday. Votes included report on “Right of access to lawyer in criminal cases etc” . Passed by 661 – 29. This simply illustrates how far behind they are. We take legal representation in court for the accused as a matter of course, but for much of the EU it is a step into the unknown. And they say we have to listen to them, ECHR and so on!!

Herewith my speech to the house on Europe’s Young Jobless, also on video via the link included.

High youth unemployment in the euro straightjacket - Derek Clark MEP

Speech delivered in the Parliament – Tuesday 10^th September 2013

http://www.derekclarkmep.org.uk/my-videos/

Thank you Madame President. From Britain, from the House of Lords, our upper chamber, I have received a note today. They are launching an enquiry into the proposals to help Europe’s young jobless. They note that the EU is going to spend 8 billion euros over the next 6 years and they want to know if that will add any value to these proposals.

They note also that there is a brain drain in Europe and what are we going to do about it with young people without a job leaving in such great numbers for work elsewhere. We all know that Spain has got some 50% youth unemployed. 280,000 young people left Spain alone last year to seek their fortunes either in the rest of Europe or in South America.

It’s no coincidence that Spain, together with several other European countries, is struggling. Ireland, Portugal, Greece and others, what have they in common,- the Euro, a straightjacket which is robbing them of their economy. No wonder they are in trouble, no wonder they have high youth unemployment. Let them sort out their own salvation with their own former currencies restored.

This may lead to low wage economies, but then you have to ask the question – do you want a low paid job or no job at all?

Wednesday Votes on Biofuels. Surprisingly a lot of amendments tabled by the Environment committee were defeated but do not be fooled. They are in favour of turning over land for biofuel production. That may be OK in the UK, up to a point, but in the third world of starving millions it is criminal. Actually, the vote to send this to be framed in legislation was not taken, it was decided to refer it back to committee, as was the whole report on assessing the effect of projects on the environment. This included a passage on Shale gas, did someone get cold feet?

Having spoken on Youth Unemployment on Tuesday evening (video on my website) I was depressed to see two reports on Youth employment, full of platitudes and wishful thinking, being passed, one by 612 – 55, the other by 592-81. Paul Nuttall also spoke on this, earlier on Tuesday evening, see UKIP MEPs website.

Thursday Two reports of deadly menace to the UK were adopted today. Both were on banking, ‘European Banking Authority and supervision of credit institutions”, and, ” Specific tasks for the European Central Bank .. supervision of credit institutions” . Our banks will be under the supervision, i.e. control, of the ECB. These reports passed by 556 – 54 and by 559 – 62. What made this worse was that the president, Martin Schultz, gave a long winded introduction to these reports which was tantamount to promoting them; “EU banking is good for you”. A but rich seeing that they can’t get the Court of Auditors to sign off the EU books,- 16 years now!!

This “Parliament?” also adopted a couple of reports on EU armed services, not that they actually called it that. One was on EU military structures, and talks of defence spending, streamlining an EU Army, “Sharing” etc. etc.

I was more alarmed by the second report, ”Maritime dimension of common security….” They want a maritime force to protect resource extraction… EU cooperation to deal with threats… maritime presence in the Black Sea!!.... if war breaks out in the Caucuses EU needs to mobilise…. Galileo for military use….. create a EU coast guard…. Wants to support an EU Navy….and wants to share overseas bases. Gibraltar is overseas!!!

How many more times do we have to deal with the Spanish Navy!??

As I said, nice to be back but keep an eye out for an extra. I did a bit of TV for our in-house cameras on Wednesday. All about the Syrian crisis, and our response to the call for military action. It should soon appear on the UKIPMEPs website, when it does I will send a link to an article published the following day, a letter from president Putin.

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg Sept 12^th 2013

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More from Brussels

Brussels Commentary 30 Employment Committee 8th & 9th July 2013

Even in July no less than 16 reports to debate and four to vote on, covering 56 pages, with many amendments on each page. Do you wonder that all this stuff comes out as it does, meaningless tripe but armed with the requirement, eventually, of having to pass into the law of each member state?

Tuesday "Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on the stock exchange". The women's committee, FEMM, sent an opinion on this one, so see Godfrey's contribution in that committee. http://youtu.be/4yqGu1cCrDc Naturally it passed, 27 to 5.

You might like to know that an Empl Cttee member, Mrs McIntyre, spoke vigorously against this report saying that, as the boss of a company she was insulted that people might think she gained that position as a token woman. "No", she said, "nothing of the sort, I got that on my own merits!

Wednesday mainly voting, nearly 2 hours

"Tackling Youth Unemployment" ran to 37 pages, about 350 amendments. (NB If you think I ought to know exactly please realise that the amendments are all numbered but do not come out in numerical order on the voting list. Add to that the 20+ amendments from other committees, also all over the place).

You might also like to know that the voting lists do not come out until about 7.30pm the evening before the vote and John then has the task of indicating how I should vote on each amendment. Before I had a personal assistant here I did that myself by going through the books of amendments, where they are in numerical order. I marked each one, some in the committee session as it went on, the rest at the hotel before and after dinner, then transcribed the indication for myself onto the voting list. John saves me an enormous amount of work. We meet before voting at 9.00 am and go through the votes for me to approve or otherwise. He's on the same wavelength so little difference of opinion.

Youth unemployment in the EU,-

23% across the Eu

15 % or less in Austria, Germany Netherlands

but 9% in Germany and Austria

55% in Greece

55% in Spain

Some NEETS (not employed, or in education or training), EU wide in 2011,-

7.-5 million in 15- 25 age range

6.5 million in 25 - 29 age range.

I remarked in an earlier commentary that I had no idea as to the nature of the "Youth Guarantee" aimed to combat youth unemployment. I now understand that it is a fund for companies to set up training schemes, wonderful! But, small firms, one or two employees, will not have the scope to make use of it, not enough variety, so the big companies, who could do this anyway, will get the cash and, once again, the SMEs left out.

Final comment. The behaviour of members in committee leaves a lot to be desired. MEPs are located in the centre with the wings of the chamber for assistants, the commission reps and so on. Always a few assistants come across to bring info to their MEP which we do not do. John gets it all tidied up before I get in. Today was like Paddy's Market, assistants all over the place, with, at one time, four assistants standing in front of me briefing their MEPs. There was even a 12 year old lad sitting with his father, even assistants are not allowed to sit with the MEPs.

To cap it all, no less than 5 times the president had to tell either the EPP group, or the S & D

MEPs, that there were too many of their group voting. The numbers of MEPs from each political group on the committee are regulated to reflect the groups' numerical strength in the parliament. The numbers of each group voting is available to the president when there is an electronic vote. This only happens in our committee as a check in a close vote and for the final vote on the whole proposal. So, if 5 votes had excess MEPs voting in electronic votes were they still there voting on the show of hands, which is 90% of the votes?

That's how the EU makes decisions which can/ will affect people in the UK.

This being the last committee, following the last plenary before the summer recess, so this is my last commentary until September 12th.

Have a good summer, I will!

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 9th July 2013

Brussels Commentary 30 Employment Committee 8th & 9th July 2013

Brussels Commentary 30 Employment Committee 8th & 9th July 2013

Even in July no less than 16 reports to debate and four to vote on, covering 56 pages, with many amendments on each page. Do you wonder that all this stuff comes out as it does, meaningless tripe but armed with the requirement, eventually, of having to pass into the law of each member state?

Tuesday "Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on the stock exchange". The women's committee, FEMM, sent an opinion on this one, so see Godfrey's contribution in that committee. Carren please insert the link here Naturally it passed, 27 to 5.

You might like to know that an Empl Cttee member, Mrs McIntyre, spoke vigorously against this report saying that, as the boss of a company she was insulted that people might think she gained that position as a token woman. "No", she said, "nothing of the sort, I got that on my own merits!

Wednesday mainly voting, nearly 2 hours

"Tackling Youth Unemployment" ran to 37 pages, about 350 amendments. (NB If you think I ought to know exactly please realise that the amendments are all numbered but do not come out in numerical order on the voting list. Add to that the 20+ amendments from other committees, also all over the place).

You might also like to know that the voting lists do not come out until about 7.30pm the evening before the vote and John then has the task of indicating how I should vote on each amendment. Before I had a personal assistant here I did that myself by going through the books of amendments, where they are in numerical order. I marked each one, some in the committee session as it went on, the rest at the hotel before and after dinner, then transcribed the indication for myself onto the voting list. John saves me an enormous amount of work. We meet before voting at 9.00 am and go through the votes for me to approve or otherwise. He's on the same wavelength so little difference of opinion.

Youth unemployment in the EU,-

23% across the Eu

15 % or less in Austria, Germany Netherlands

but 9% in Germany and Austria

55% in Greece

55% in Spain

Some NEETS (not employed, or in education or training), EU wide in 2011,-

7.-5 million in 15- 25 age range

6.5 million in 25 - 29 age range.

I remarked in an earlier commentary that I had no idea as to the nature of the "Youth Guarantee" aimed to combat youth unemployment. I now understand that it is a fund for companies to set up training schemes, wonderful! But, small firms, one or two employees, will not have the scope to make use of it, not enough variety, so the big companies, who could do this anyway, will get the cash and, once again, the SMEs left out.

Final comment. The behaviour of members in committee leaves a lot to be desired. MEPs are located in the centre with the wings of the chamber for assistants, the commission reps and so on. Always a few assistants come across to bring info to their MEP which we do not do. John gets it all tidied up before I get in. Today was like Paddy's Market, assistants all over the place, with, at one time, four assistants standing in front of me briefing their MEPs. There was even a 12 year old lad sitting with his father, even assistants are not allowed to sit with the MEPs.

To cap it all, no less than 5 times the president had to tell either the EPP group, or the S & D

MEPs, that there were too many of their group voting. The numbers of MEPs from each political group on the committee are regulated to reflect the groups' numerical strength in the parliament. The numbers of each group voting is available to the president when there is an electronic vote. This only happens in our committee as a check in a close vote and for the final vote on the whole proposal. So, if 5 votes had excess MEPs voting in electronic votes were they still there voting on the show of hands, which is 90% of the votes?

That's how the EU makes decisions which can/ will affect people in the UK.

This being the last committee, following the last plenary before the summer recess, so this is my last commentary until September 12th.

Have a good summer, I will!

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 9th July 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session July 1st- 4th 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary Session July 1^st- 4^th 2013

Tuesday Enda Kenny, in closing the Irish Presidency, mentioned several MEPs by name, praising some, severely criticising others. A new departure, not heard before

The Commission are to spend 7 million Euros on a European Youth Event, 5000 attendees, on May 9^th ,Europe Day just before the Euro elections, to show them how wonderful it all is.

Entrance security at the event will ensure that only banners corresponding to the established criteria will be allowed into the building; what do you think that means?

Stuart Agnew reported on progress on reform of the CAP. Yes, progress of a sort, but the proposed measures will, in fact, take more land out of production! We already import a great deal of our food and the world population is growing all the time!! The revisions have been described by others as a “Dog’s breakfast”.

Caravans- ,one of 3 related reports. They did not listen, of course, to my one minute effort on Monday evening, on web site. Same problem as always. Neither the rapporteur, nor any other speaker, has any experience of towing a caravan, We are in the hands of idiots who just want to make a name for themselves, reducing road accidents in this case. Tell me, when did you last see an accident caused by a towed caravan? By the way, one of the 3 reports specified the actual size of the road worthiness documents which you might be asked to produce. Seriously, its all there, size of paper and everything.

NB the Chairrman of the committee asked for the legislative resolution of all three reports not to be put to a vote to start the legislative process, so that they can go back to committee for further work. That was adopted. So we wait and see.

Wednesday. Votes included the Financial Transaction Tax which will cripple the City of London, as intended. We were able to vote for some amendments, like the one to take Pension Funds out of the scope of the tax;- no use, out voted by 225 to 458 where UK Labour MEPs voted against. Enjoy retirement!

One of the worst features of the FTT is that unless the tax is paid the purchaser has no right to the Title. Neither has the vendor. Who has the title rights is then uncertain. A lot of pension funds change hands from one company to another!

There was also a vote on, “Timing of auctions of greenhouse gas emissions”. Here they plan to “backload” the taxes, ie not just to tax when it takes effect but to go back in time and tax previous emissions. That would be like coming back to you for the extra tax on petrol you bought a year ago when it was less! We did not vote at all, see my explanation of vote,-

“I did not vote on any of the amendments because they gave the Commission authority to exact payments either on current emissions or on earlier emissions,- backloading-, or on both. To vote either "yes" or "no" to any amendment would have endorsed the authority of the commission to extract these payments, there was no way to vote to oppose the granting of this authority.

I therefore voted "no" to the whole proposal”.

(NB. MEPs can always explain how they voted, either verbally after voting has ended, or later in writing. In any case the explanation goes on to the Parliament web site where, for controversial votes, the hordes of pressure groupers just love to see how we voted on their cause. Quite right, we are elected by the people who have the right to know how we voted.)

Double Standards You may have perhaps picked up the affair of Marine Le Pen, now leader of the National Front. She objected to two streets in Paris being taken over by Muslims praying, since France is a secular country and the roads belong to everyone. She was threatened with prosecution but relied on her Parliamentary Immunity. As a result there was a move to remove her immunity by way of a vote in Parliament. We, including myself, voted against this, but were outvoted and she lost.

A while ago an MEP in home state broke a traffic law while not on Parliament business, assaulted a policeman and was arrested. MEPs voted to preserve his immunity.They like double standards here, hence the comment in the press release;-

A UKIP spokesman said:

"We voted to keep her immunity because we believe that freedom of speech is sacrosanct.

She made her comments in pursuance of her work as an elected politician. There was no fraud or incitement to hatred involved.

There should be one rule for all, immunity should not be lifted just because you don't like the MEP's politics."

The Labour Party was accused of "craven dishonesty" for voting against a UKIP amendment in the European Parliament today to return unspent money to national budgets.

UKIP MEP William Dartmouth placed two amendments to a Motion for Resolution on the EU 2014-20120 Budget (MFF)

It called for "unspent money at the end of each year cannot be transferred to the following year but must be returned to national budgets;"

UKIP MEPs as well as the Tories voted in favour of the amendment,

Labour and LibDem MEPs voted to reject it.

Also a vote today on the state of democracy in Hungary. It is alleged that the government is ultra right wing and needs “correction”, with lots of emails contradicting this view. Interestingly this report was very divided with the final vote being like the amendments, 370 in favour, 249 against. It is usually much more one-sided.

Thursday is usually very low key, except today, main vote on the Snowden whistle blower and USA surveillance systems. Plenty of hot under the collar stuff. Much condemnation of the US but support too. Vote of 483- 98 in favour of opposing the US.

More to our point was the Duff (MEP Eastern) report on the Euro elections of 2014. Open primaries suggested to establish candidates, (not supported), plenty of support for further items not to our liking. All of which may overwhelm our own decision taken by conference vote a year ago, not to support pan-European parties. This will come, be sure of it.

Finally, a report on an Increase in duties on Norwegian agricultural products. Mixed support for amendments but report passed. They do not like Norway, anyone like to suggest why?

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg 4^th July 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee June 19th - 20th 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee June 19th - 20th 2013

Wednesday "Tackling Youth Unemployment, possible ways out". Yet again they talk about unemployment without actually putting forward concrete proposals. That's because the Euro is collapsing and European industry is losing out to other parts of the world. European goods are becoming uncompetetive.

But we did hear that people should be allowed to work away from their member state, and we certainly do not want to stop free movement! We need a European future, not a local one, while respecting the working practices of member states! Among this we were told that fewer polish people were leaving Poland and that more were returning home.

Thursday Business was scheduled for a 9.00 start followed by voting at 9.30, but the secretariat did not turn up until about 9.45 when voting started under a deputy, since the President turned up at about 11.00 am . This massive voting session finished at about 12.45 and all other business was postponed. Having arrived the President was challenged about the sequence of votes, promoting a lively exchange in which she relied on "Standing Orders". I wonder if that had caused her late arrival and that of the secretariat.

Among the reports finally voted on was that on "Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies on stock exchanges". It seeks to establish 40% of each sex on these Boards, without saying what the remaining 20% should be! The proposed plan "encourages" companies to work towards this, with perhaps government legislation, and to show that efforts are being made, with explanations given for failure. Member states could suffer infringement proceedings if there are no national rules and sanctions would only be imposed on companies if they were not seen to be trying.

Voting was dominated by the "Posting of Workers" Directive, to which there were over 600 amendments. This is intended to ensure that workers posted by their employers to work outside their own country, but within the EU, receive all the benefits that are available for workers move elsewhere on their own account. It is of course a legal minefield but that does not stop the EU from trying to make water-tight regulations to cope.

This report was only adopted by 23 votes to 18 with 6 abstentions. Such a relatively narrow result ís a reflection of this committee's uncertainty, for once. There was then further debate on what to do with it, send it on to Plenary for final approval, or enter into negotiations with the Council of Ministers to decide its future. The latter course needed a mandate to send it to Council, which, after thought, I supported, as did the committee. No doubt this will proceed to conciliation in due course; a very longwinded affair.

Derek Clark MEP Brussels, 20th June 2013.         

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 10 – 13 June 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 10 – 13 June 2013

Tuesday Saw a report on “Organised crime, Corruption and Money Laundering” whereby the EU is to move in with all its bureaucracy and red tape. It is intended to set up a European Prosecutor’s Office, a training centre for intelligence agents, a standing committee and all the rest of it, with massive funds attached. No problem, Cameron got a deal on the budget did he not?

Wednesday Several reports on Border control and associated measures including Schengen. Although we are not a Schengen member it will affect us, see Gerard’s speech on the UKIP MEP’s web site, with his reply to a question from the floor. Summary of this business below,-

UKIP Press release - EU stops states acting over abuse of Schengen

For the first time, it will be possible for EU inspection teams to make unannounced visits to monitor any attempt to introduce illegal border checks at internal borders within Schengen.

New rules laying down common procedures and deadlines for handling asylum applications and basic rights for asylum seekers arriving in the EU were endorsed by Parliament on Wednesday.

Note, they don’t like the Government’s newly announced decision to police our borders more closely. How effective will that be with EU agents round their necks?

Today started with a debate, “Preparation for the European Council Meeting”, again, which included a great deal of hot air about unemployment, especially youth unemployment. Some points raised included,-

Barroso declaring again that SMEs show great deal of youth unemployment so we need to press on with the “Youth Guarantee” and we need to go on a journey for growth and jobs. At this point my apologies. I serve on the employment committee but I have no clear idea as to what the “Youth Guarantee” is. It has been mentioned several times but what exactly it is in practice I know not, in spite of listening closely to the debates in committee.

Swaboda, the Socialist leader, was disappointed with the Irish Presidency, now ending, because they failed on the budget.

Verhofstadt, Liberals, criticised Msr Hollande for saying that the crisis was over when it is not (at least that’s realism) and to cure it we cannot go on with 27 different governments and banking systems; we must have a Banking Union!!

For almost the first time today I thought that we were at Westminster for PMQs. There were a number of angry interventions starting with a Greek MEP who called a Point of Order, but turned it into a tirade about the closing down of the Greek national Radio/ TV station. He alleged that this had been done by order of the ‘Troika’ now running Greece and, “ was this Democracy?”, he asked. With 68% youth unemployment in Greece he has a right to be angry. The President, Schultz himself at that time, told him in no uncertain terms that he could not use a point of order to raise political issues, and promptly turned off the offender’s microphone.

Later on Commissioner Olli Rehn attempted to put this TV close-down into perspective. He said it had been done by the legitimate Greek Government authorities alone and recent documents endorse his statement. This was met by a round of boos and cat-calls, almost as if he was not believed!

Another MEP tried to turn a Point of Order into a political issue and he found his microphone switched off very quickly.

Perhaps the best was a woman MEP , Ms Ungureanu I think, who was mis-identified by the President. We all have a number in front of our place for identification, but there was a similarity of names. Ms “U” started to make a fuss about something. The chair had changed by then but this experienced deputy President was ready. He accused her of sitting in the wrong place deliberately, so as to make him call the wrong name and cause confusion. She got cut-off too!

And we are the Clowns!!

Thursday The last day is always light both on debates and votes because so many MEPs leave late Wednesday or mid-day Thursday. I usually start off for home late afternoon having completed the commentary but the agenda is particularly light today. Debates on Central Africa, breaches of human rights, rule of law in Russia, and so on.

I shall stay for voting at 1200 and off to the airport, I hope. There is a strike of Air traffic Controllers due to end this morning, but there will be a back-log. Indeed, will it end this morning? There is also a strike of the French railways, also due to end this morning, so change of plan dubious. My flight takes me to Brussels with change of flight to Birmingham so there is double the chance of being stranded.

Funny, these strikes always seem to occur during a Strasbourg week! They know perfectly well that there is no direct flight from/ to anywhere in the UK for Strasbourg, likewise, Ireland, Scandinavia, Italy (well, at least Rome). Travel to and from France and Germany is, naturally, easy and various, and there is a good motorway system.

Just my way of reminding all those chancing their arm with MEP selection of life’s little difficulties, EU style.

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg 13^th June 2013.

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee May 29th - 30th 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee May 29th - 30th 2013

More money for the taxpayer to find

Wednesday we voted on Regional Policy for wider State support schemes. My one vote was the solitary "No" against 36 in favour.

Thursday we voted on a Youth strategy which will cost 6 billion Euros. Did better here, my one vote against was supported by one other, as opposed to 35 in favour.

Then "crisis on access to care for the vulnerable" will cost a lot more, but no figure given!. I was down to voting against on my once more, 36 in favour.

Lastly, "social investments for growth and cohesion, implementing the European Social Fund". I got 2 to support me against 34 in favour this time.

So, in spite of Dave's stand on the budget it looks like we will end up finding more cash.

I got rather fed up in the debate on "Improving private International Law, jurisprudence rules applicable to employment". This became a matter of yet more laws to allow workers to move from one country to another without being penalised by the different employment laws they then will find. This was admitted to being a legal minefield so, instead of letting the lawyers earn their money and sort it out, they will now want to bring in a raft of laws to ensure that people can move countries and still be employed on the same legal basis. No adaptation needed.

No chance of allowing people to work to the laws they find themselves under on making a move of course. That is the thin and of the wedge, all other national laws will be "harmonised" over the course of time. Not that this will be apparent for years to come, one thing at a time, very slowly so as not to frighten the horses.

Did I hear you say, "When in Rome......"

I regret to say I did not stay long enough to hear the Employment Commissioner in an exchange of views, "in the context of the structured dialogue". What dialogue do you ask?,- quite.

Lastly, I wish you all to know that I am not seeking re-election as MEP. I will continue to work as one of your MEPs over this last year, as indeed you would expect me to.

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 30th May 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 20 - 23 May 2013

Strasbourg Commentary Plenary session 20 - 23 May 2013

I have to tell you that things go on here much as before. There is no sign of collapse, yet, and the problems of the Euro have not surfaced, unless that happens after I have completed this edition.

However, there were debates on fraud and tax havens as well as further legislation on the EMU. Here you should see Godfrey's contribution on the UKIP MEP's website.

Tuesday Voting included a report to alter the date of the next Euro elections due next year. MEPs voted to change the dates from the first week in June to May. But this is against EU law, as explained by Stuart Agnew MEP,-

Euro election date changed to suit holidays of sun-lounging Germans.

UKIP Press Release

Tuesday 21st May 2013. Immediate.

The EU is breakings its own laws to change Euro elections from June to May next year. The law says it may be changed if to have it in June 2014 is "impossible".

The reasons advanced by EU Parliament for changing date is that it was to facilitate election of new European Commission and it clashed with German holidays.

UKIP MEP Stuart Agnew for Eastern England said,

"The EU is acting against its own laws and leaves the decision to change the date open to legal challenge in the courts. It betrays itself as a tyranny rather than an institution under the rule of law.

It is quite ridiculous that the date of the European Elections would be changed for the reasons that German holidaymakers wish to spread their beach towels on the sun lounges of the Mediterranean. But it does show the increase of arbitrary rule of the EU allied to the growing German dominance of Europe."

Ends

Stuart Agnew MEP is a member of the AFCO or Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

Need I say more?

A further report pokes the EU nose into Offshore Gas and Oil exploration, especially with reference to European waters. Can they do this, of course they can. An earlier commentary mentioned that a report on the CFP brought a vote which allows the EU rights over the sea bed. So the rights are there, prepared in advance.

There was also a report on, "adequate, safe and sustainable pensions". This is a re-run of an earlier attempt to hijack pensions which was all about transferability of pensions, helping people moving from one country to another. On that occasion I pointed out that no legislation was necessary because different pension companies would offer different policies with a view to creating a "niche" market. That's just like Insurance Companies offering policies for different customers who shop around for what suits them. Pensions are, I said, an insurance against reduced circumstances after retirement.

I do not know how much notice they took but this report disappeared, we now have it back in different form. That is how the EU works of course. Don't frighten the horses, put it back on the shelf, let people think its gone, then bring it out again with a few alterations as a new departure.

Wednesday Votes on the European banking authority and Credit Institutions will do us no good. Worse to come.

A report on Audiovisual media services was passed. This tells the news agencies how to presnt news, how and what to present and will control what the TV companies will be allowed to broadcast, ie calls for a broad interpretation of what constitutes items of "Major interest to society". EU Big Brother looms. Adopted by 593 - 69 votes.

Finally, "Mutual recognition of protection measures in civil matters", in effect this is about domestic violence. It sets up a European Protection Order enabling a judge in any part of the EU to grant a domestic violence injunction which will be enforceable without question in the UK and may lead to persons being arrested and imprisoned for alleged breaches by UK judges who will have lost jurisdiction over domestic violence matters.

This will make the European Arrest Warrant look tame. We voted against but it passed by 602 - 23 votes. I/ we have sent an explanation of vote describing our opposition and that UK law is perfectly capable of dealing with domestic violence matters. Note that the EU can override UK law in this matter. This will lead to the next step of overturning our laws in other respects.

For me it brings to mind my day in Rotherham helping with the by-election there. I did my bit at the table in the market place, joining several other UKIP members including a lady magistrate. Or, rather, a former magistrate. After many years experience she increasingly found that she was having to dispense justice EU- style, not according to UK law. So she quit and joined us.

I just hope that this is read by people who are not UKIP members, indeed, by those who support our EU membership. To those people I say, "Whose law do you want?" Or, to put it an other way, "do you now understand that we are losing control of our own country. That the EU continually ratchets up their regulations, starting with something apparently sensible, in order to exert control over increasingly wide fields of activity".

Britain started Parliamentary Democracy which has been copied around the world. Where it has been used you will find increasingly prosperous and peaceful countries. European countries have not followed our lead, they are now trying to catch up without looking at what we have to offer. The wretched ECHR was brought in after the last war to prevent the atrocities inflicted across Europe in the thirties and forties. Why do we need it, we didn't build gas chambers.

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg May 22nd 2013  

Northampton Commentary Friday 26th April 2013 COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Northampton Commentary Friday 26^th April 2013

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

The Chronicle & Echo, the local Northampton paper, conducted an on-line survey over lunch-time today, asking people to vote for who they thought would win the County Council Elections a week hence.

Leaders of UKIP, Tory, Labour, Lib-Dem, Greens and “others” took part in an on-line Q & A.. With no leader as such we were asked to nominate a spokesperson and we put Margot Parker up for it. Views were expressed and points made over a two hour debate and people could vote on line. Voting continued into the late afternoon, and at 4.30 pm the figures were,-

Conservative 24% Labour 11% Lib-Dem 3%

Others 5% Green 16% UKIP 42%

WELL DONE MARGOT!!

The leaders of the other parties included Brendan Glynane (Lib-Dem) and Tony Clarke (Green), both well known in the town. Tony is an ex labour MP, holding the Northampton South Seat for two successive elections, 1997 & 2001. He fell out with the Labour party and held a Borough Council ward as Independent Labour over two elections, now a Green. A pity in many ways, I don’t like to see former students of mine being badly treated.

As for the Tory leader today you may recall my latest Strasbourg commentary in which I commented on the odd statements he made as Tory leader of the Northants CC when I met him at Geddington during Nigel’s whistle-stop tour. He claimed that the expensive Brussels office the CC were to establish would generate hundreds of thousands of pounds for businesses in the county, seconds after saying that local elections were not UKIP business since there was no connection between a County Council and the EU!

I said then that he was confused, but I had not realised how much. One would think that, as local Party and CC leader of some standing now, he should have been doing his stuff in the on-line debate, but was conspicuous by his absence. He had a dental appointment!! Now we all know how difficult making such appointments can be but there are times, are there not?

It’s all to play for next week, get those leaflets out, they’re no use next Friday.

Good luck to all of you

Derek Clark MEP Northampton 26^th April 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee 22nd - 23rd April 2013

Brussels Commentary Employment Committee 22nd - 23rd April 2013

A great number of votes in one day, most concerning money. European Funds, budget priorities, Social housing, Aid to the deprived and so on.

Among these were the European Social Fund and the Globalisation Adjustment Fund. These had gone to a Trilogue because there was no agreement as to the amounts of money to be put aside from the budget. The Trilogue is the Commission, The Council and Parliament meeting to thrash it out. Parliament is always represented in such trilogues by members of the committee concerned, in this case Employment. Council is represented by some of the appropriate Ministers of member states.

There was no agreement in these trilogue discussions. That simply means that Parliament (ie MEPs) wanted to spend more, the Council (Elected MPs of Member States) wanted to spend less. The representative from employment committee told us that the division became discord as the Council wanted to operate the European Social Fund themselves. This was totally unacceptable to the Parliament reps who promptly walked out. Back to square one.

It means of course that member states are, at last, beginning to watch the pennies more closely and are trying to hang on to taxpayers cash more than they used to. Well, its a step in the right direction. Cameron need not claim a victory yet, the issue is still up in the air.

All of this, austerity and cut backs, spells unemployment. Figures given today show 27 million out of work in the EU, of which youth unemployment is 5.7 million. Hence the other half of the debates this week, furthering youth employment. Many fine words, but that's all it is, no actual plans but with "Erasmus" freely quoted. I am sure you know what that is. No?, its the EU program to enable to students to travel abroad for University Education. But that costs money because the EU is to help with the extra costs involved by each student! Where that will come from is another matter,- 8 member states have cut education budgets by 8% this year.

Meanwhile another spending plan, the European Fund for Aid to the Most deprived is to get 3.5 billion Euros this year. Will that include our money when we already have food banks for the needy? That itself is a matter of shame for us in the 21st century.

Away from money a green MEP is promoting, "Gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on the stock exchange." That mean more women on the boards but no quota. She proposes sanctions on Companies who do not make the effort, or do not explain why there is still an imbalance, but there is to be no compulsion! And the sanctions are not specified.

Derek Clark MEP Brussels 23rd April 2013