Saturday, 8 August 2009
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Sky News Provides balance
At last, Sky News has tried to balance the way the BBC has been signposting protest votes towards the totally cynical UKIP camp. The question is: what has UKIP actually DONE with its time in the European Parliament?
Answer: nothing. Sitting around committing sabotage is the UKIP way. Libertas gets out there and changes things for the better.
Answer: nothing. Sitting around committing sabotage is the UKIP way. Libertas gets out there and changes things for the better.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Supremacy of the Law in Doubt
David Cameron has announced that Members of Parliament should be subject to the full force of the law. It is worth reflecting on why this statement is necessary. Libertas will campaign to ensure that the supremacy of the law is never left in doubt.
Fuzzy Transparency in the European Parliament
The Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament (Annex 1) detail the transparency requirements for MEPs. They must make a personal, detailed declaration of their professional activities and any other remunerated functions or activities (Declaration of Financial Interests) and place it in a register maintained by the Parliamentary authorities.
The level of 'detail' accepted by the Parliamentary authorities means that the Declaration of Interests fails to do what it is supposed to do. For example, Nigel Farage (UKIP)declares "Commodity Broking" and "Journalism" without further comment. Sharon Bowles (LIB DEM) just says she is a partner in a law firm. On the other hand, Caroline Lucas (GREENS) does declare her additional income. Jeffrey Titford (UKIP) declares three words under 'further information': 'property', 'rent', 'pensions'.
These declarations are made in arrears and they are so badly administered that they contribute almost nothing towards transparency.
Libertas will ensure that transparency systems are properly supervised by the European Parliament authorities.
Go to the EU Parliament web site and see your MEP's declarations for yourself.
Source http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+RULES-EP+20080218+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN
The level of 'detail' accepted by the Parliamentary authorities means that the Declaration of Interests fails to do what it is supposed to do. For example, Nigel Farage (UKIP)declares "Commodity Broking" and "Journalism" without further comment. Sharon Bowles (LIB DEM) just says she is a partner in a law firm. On the other hand, Caroline Lucas (GREENS) does declare her additional income. Jeffrey Titford (UKIP) declares three words under 'further information': 'property', 'rent', 'pensions'.
These declarations are made in arrears and they are so badly administered that they contribute almost nothing towards transparency.
Libertas will ensure that transparency systems are properly supervised by the European Parliament authorities.
Go to the EU Parliament web site and see your MEP's declarations for yourself.
Source http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+RULES-EP+20080218+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN
Friday, 29 May 2009
EU Needs Better Supervision
Efforts by the European Commission to improve law enforcement capability on the EU borders are dogged by duplication and inefficiency. A recent report by the European Court of Auditors says that such a project in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine costing 166 million euro had unsatisfactory results.
Experienced Libertas MEP's will drill down into all areas of EU activity and ensure that the management systems are working properly. This is essential before we start discussing any kind of expansion of power or increase in budgets.
Source http://eca.europa.eu/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/2362310.PDF
Experienced Libertas MEP's will drill down into all areas of EU activity and ensure that the management systems are working properly. This is essential before we start discussing any kind of expansion of power or increase in budgets.
Source http://eca.europa.eu/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/2362310.PDF
Big Decisions Through the Back Door
Politics in the EU seems to be about getting things done on the quiet and this is wrong.
The British Government asked the Commission to progress Montenegro’s entry into the European Union, but they did it in a meeting of fisheries ministers so that no-one would notice.
This is within the rules, but democratically wrong. Libertas will campaign tirelessly for more transparency in the way the Council operates, particularly when it discusses new laws and enlargement.
The British Government asked the Commission to progress Montenegro’s entry into the European Union, but they did it in a meeting of fisheries ministers so that no-one would notice.
This is within the rules, but democratically wrong. Libertas will campaign tirelessly for more transparency in the way the Council operates, particularly when it discusses new laws and enlargement.
What Is the European Parliament?
The European Parliament does not make laws, it acts as a kind of people’s watchdog over the activities of the Eurocrats and national governments. It can only reject a legislative proposal from the European Commission with a majority in favour based on the total number of seats, not the number of people who turn up to vote. With an absenteeism rate of 30%, this is hard to achieve.
The sleaze associated with expenses is at least equal to what we have seen at Westminster in recent weeks and the travelling circus where the whole Parliament moves to Strasbourg once a month is a disgusting waste of tax-payers’ money – nearly £200 million! Libertas will campaign to put an end to this nonsense.
The sleaze associated with expenses is at least equal to what we have seen at Westminster in recent weeks and the travelling circus where the whole Parliament moves to Strasbourg once a month is a disgusting waste of tax-payers’ money – nearly £200 million! Libertas will campaign to put an end to this nonsense.
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